In its quest to develop circular products, Chinese company Yi Design has been creating various bricks from recycled materials. These products offer construction alternatives to address a major industry challenge: the generation of ceramic waste.
According to Yi Design, approximately 18 million tons of ceramic waste are produced every year in China. Headquartered in Jingdezhen, the country's ceramics capital, the group developed YiBrick, a permeable brick made of over 90% recycled ceramic. The material's production also incorporates wastewater and the fine dust from crushing raw waste.
Beyond its positive environmental impact, the product comes in a variety of colors, textures, and finishes. This gives the brick broad application potential, ranging from interior design to construction. Due to its water permeability, for example, it can be used for public infrastructure in sponge-city construction or any flood-prone area.
While YiBrick was developed primarily for flooring, the company has created two other options for walls: YiBrick Handmade and YiTile. The former is designed for interior walls and facades, featuring handmade bricks crafted from 100% recycled materials. The glazes are made from recycled biomass and fly ash, as well as construction waste. Meanwhile, YiTile is made of over 70% recycled materials and features customizable colors.
Since the company's launch in 2021, 82 tons of waste have been diverted from landfills and transformed into bricks. Yi Design has also received several awards recognizing the material's innovation. Most recently, the project was selected in the sustainable design category of the 2023 Dezeen Awards.
Via CicloVivo.
This article was written by Marcia Sousa. The translation is powered by AI.
