The main goal of the project was to use design-based approaches to raise awareness about the issue of food waste, with a particular focus on recycling organic, plant-based waste, conserving production resources, and applying these recycled materials in digital fabrication technologies, design practices, and artistic expression.
On April 11, 2025, the first educational workshop took place at the Vilkija Gymnasium Children’s Day Centre, located in Kaunas district, Akuotai village, Saulėtekio St. 89. The workshop was led by KTU lecturer, art history PhD candidate, and artist Indraja Raudonikytė. She delivered a lecture to the children about the problem of food waste and creative ways to reuse food scraps. During the practical session, the children experimented with making paper from a mixture of traditional paper pulp and various food waste materials such as expired flour, flax seeds, caraway seeds, wheat bran, ground orange peels, coffee grounds, and more.
On November 3, 2025, the second workshop was held at the KTU M-Lab Laboratory Centre in Kaunas, at the Design Laboratory. Participants included students from Antanas Martinaitis Art School, led by their sculpture teacher, ceramist Raimonda Štelmokienė. The workshop was led by Lorenzo Piazzi, Associate Professor at the KTU Design Centre and D-Lab laboratory assistants. During the hands-on session, participants explored how food waste can be transformed into composite materials suitable for 3D printing using clay extrusion technologies with the “Delta WASP 2040” printer. They learned how to prepare mixtures from food waste and natural binders, conducted material tests, and carried out practical 3D printing activities.
After the workshops, the project team produced two educational videos for children about the issue of food waste and how design tools can help address this problem. Through these videos, children can learn how to transform food scraps and other household waste into craft materials. The videos are freely available in English and Lithuanian on the Design Friends YouTube channel.
Indraja Raudonikytė, Lorenzo Piazzi, Justina Klėjūtė, Kotryna Lenkauskaitė, Raimonda Štelmokienė, Rūta Valušytė.
The project was funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture (2025-01-01 – 2025-11-30).
