Rhea Thomas

In the UK alone, up to half a billion plastic plant pots are sent to landfills or incineration plants every year, exacerbating the plastic crisis. Meanwhile, over 8 million tonnes of prawn shells are discarded every year.

Seasprout is a bio-material innovation that utilizes shrimp shell waste from the frozen seafood industry to make bio-degradable bedding trays and pots for the horticulture and agriculture industry. It phases out HDPE, by introducing a material that is earth-friendly. These products not only provide a sustainable solution but also degrades over time, enriching the soil with natural nutrients that benefit plant growth. Seasprout operates within a circular biosystem, exemplifying the principles of a circular economy and sustainability factoring in the social environmental and economic impacts.This closed-loop approach minimizes waste, maximizes resource efficiency, and promotes a regenerative system where waste is repurposed into valuable resources while empowering the local fishing community.

Seasprout's impact goes far beyond the product itself. It represents a transformative shift towards sustainable practices, inspiring others to reconsider traditional methods and embrace innovative solutions. Seasprout aims to drive positive change, contributing to a greener, more sustainable future for the horticulture, agriculture, seafood industry and beyond.

Shrimpak is an alternative to single-use food packaging made from shrimp and crab shell waste in the seafood industry.

Every day, 8 million pieces of plastic waste find their way into the ocean. Of which 44% of the plastic is linked to takeout food packaging. Plastic contaminants such as food containers, wrappers, single-use bags, and plastic bottles are the most widespread pollutants.

On the other hand every year, 6 million to 8 million tonnes of waste crab, shrimp, and lobster shells are produced globally, by the seafood industry. In developing countries, shell waste is often dumped in landfills or the sea.

Shrimpak replaces single-use plastic with a material made from chitosan which is extracted from the exoskeleton of shrimp and crabs. Shrimpak is a biodegradable, shock-absorbent, lightweight, and biocompatible material making it suitable for food packaging. It can be molded into food containers, cups, packing peanuts, and other shapes.

Once dried into form, the material can be turned back into the original bioplastic solution, making it infinitely recyclable. Alternatively, if the package is thrown away and lands in a landfill or ocean. It starts breaking down within a few weeks, unlike plastic which takes years to break down. It can also be poured into the soil in its liquid form as a natural, non-polluting fertilizer.

Designed at Pratt Institute, New York.

Under the guidance of Jeanne Pfordresher & Mary Lempres.

Decibel is a nature-based solution tackling sound pollution, an invisible pollutant in the ocean.

Sound pollution is an overlooked catastrophe, marine animals depend on their hearing to survive. But sound levels in the oceans are constantly rising due to human activities. Decibel is inspired by the Maze-like landscaping that deflects sound, modular partitioning system, and living interlocking barrier.

The solution is a modular hexagonal seastone oyster pods structure on which kelp is grown acting as a natural sound barrier between shipping highways while creating a regenerative marine permaculture system paving way for a circular economy system where oysters, fish, and kelp can be harvested.

To make the invisible pollutant visible we created an immersive experience using VR for decision-makers, and UN bodies to comprehend the magnitude of sound pollution in the oceans and understand how decibel would mitigate sound pollution from ship propellers when implemented

In collaboration with: Haochen Zhou, Khanh Nguyen, Richard Newman, and Yihan Dong

Winning team of the Royal College of Art Grand Challenge 2022: New Economic Model for the Ocean In partnership with Logitech and support from Extreme E.

Aria is a collection of jewellery that flutters with your heartbeat.

Aria, an extraordinary jewelry collection that defies the static nature of traditional accessories by embracing the perpetual movement found in nature. Aria offers a dynamic and enchanting element to personal expression.

Inspired by the mesmerizing motions of the natural world, Aria captures the delicate sway of leaves, the graceful flapping of butterfly wings, the exquisite blooming of flowers, and even the subtle rise and fall of the chest during breathing. These enchanting phenomena serve as the foundation for Aria's captivating jewelry pieces.

Each piece of jewelry is equipped with meticulously crafted electromagnet coils, which act as the catalyst for the jewelry's stunning movement. These coils are calibrated to synchronize with the wearer's pulse and breathing patterns, enabling the jewelry to respond seamlessly to their body's natural rhythms. When adorned, Aria becomes an extension of the wearer, a wearable art piece that dances in perfect harmony with their heartbeat and breath. Every pulse and every inhalation sets the jewelry in motion, creating a captivating spectacle that enthralls both the wearer and those fortunate enough to witness it.

By infusing movement into the realm of personal expression, Aria revolutionizes the concept of jewelry, infusing it with an interactive and ever-evolving quality. It encourages individuals to embrace their own bodily rhythms, forging a deeper connection with themselves and the world around them.

In collaboration with Summer Chen

Exhibited at the Imperial College London spring show 2022