PORIFERA MOLLUSCA

Porifera mollusca combines the most significant characteristics of shellfish and sponges and creates synthetic nacre – a biomineral, consisting of about 95 percent calcium carbonate that is known to be 3000 x stronger than its inorganic components due to its composite structure involving about 5 percent of organic material. However, natural nacre grows into shell shapes that are not very useful to us.

Porifera mollusca is an effort to create a process in which structurally and aesthetically valuable nacre is produced by bacteria, in any desired volume or shape. During the process, pre-shaped fibre and porous sponge structures are covered with bacterial nacre resulting in lightweight, strong and graceful composite materials, that are compostable but still resistant to natural influences.