This designer doesn’t walk on eggshells. She turns them into tiles instead

Elaine Yan Ling Ng isn’t walking on eggshells when it comes to eco design. Through her bespoke consultancy The Fabrick Lab, the innovator combines textiles and technology to bring her creations to life. Now, she's upcycling an abundant resource – eggshells. In 2018, over eight million tonnes of eggshells were sent to landfills. “Without the right environment, eggshells won’t biodegrade,” Ng says. Together with the studio Nature Squared, she uses discarded organic shells from bakeries and farms and transforms them into unique wall tiles.

“The concept of waste is dated,” Ng says. “We can always repurpose our materials to create something new.” By understanding not only the eggshell's physical capabilities but also the elements that aren’t visible on the surface, such as the chemical makeup, Ng and her team have engineered sustainable products to improve modern architecture and design. The CArrelé collection is her range of handmade eggshell tiles that are carefully crafted to be environmentally friendly through natural dyeing techniques.

By diverting waste from landfills, Ng is using her expertise to reimagine her industry’s future. “Design is no longer a stand-alone department, it’s a catalyst,” she says. She’s proving that her work isn’t only valuable for its aesthetic qualities, but that it can also benefit the environment. Ng is safeguarding the planet while designing a more beautiful world.

Footage by Nature Squared and The Fabrick Lab was used in the creation of this film.