These panels are made of ecologically produced, easily recycled, self-degrading materials for the furniture industry. Their use makes it possible to produce ecological, sustainable and high-quality furniture and to raise the reputation of a sustainable company participating in the circular economy.
As the deforestation concerns increase and requirements for carbon emission become stricter, effectively banning plastics, alternatives made from renewable raw or recycled materials become more and more popular. These panels are made from the stem part of fibrous plants (stalks and fibers), which is not yet widely used, because much of the stems are burned as fuel or buried in the ground.
The panels are made via the process of hot pressing of a mixture of plant fibers and woody particles. Natural, locally-sourced materials are used, such as hemp (Cannabis sativa), flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) and nettle (Urtica dioica L.).
Small fibrous plants have the ability to self-glue with cellulose, a process which is enhanced by special technological processing. The final product is completely ecologically clean, local natural resources are used, and wood is preserved. The material is suitable for mass production.
Inga Valentinienė accomplished her BA in Construction and Production of Interior Elements at Kaunas College and gained her qualification degree as a technologist of construction materials. In 2009, she graduated in graphic design at VDA, and in 2011 obtained her MA in Fine Arts. Her PhD project in 2016 was called “Locally-Sourced Fibrous Materials Used in Eco-Friendly Furniture Design”; with it, she obtained her PhD in Art and Design. Since 2004 Inga has been working as a lecturer and docent. Since 2012 she has been the Head of the Department of Industrial Technologies and Design, and since 2018 the Head of the Academy of Arts in Kaunas College. In 2013 she was awarded the “Best Lecturer of the Year” award, and in 2015 “Keep up with the Alma Mater” award for her patented invention “Fibrous Plants Panels and Methods to Obtain Them”.