Assistant Professor Yoshifumi Tara of the Department of Design Futures, Faculty of Design, Kyushu University, and Fujicco Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kobe City, Japan) have jointly created an art piece utilizing nata de coco offcuts—a byproduct of food manufacturing—as a new material. This work was presented at “DESIGNART TOKYO 2025,” a design event gathering exhibitors from Japan and abroad, held from October 31 to November 9, 2025.
This work focused on the inherent qualities of nata de coco as cellulose nanofiber (CNF)—its texture, transparency, and flexibility—attempting to create new value by transforming it from a food into an art material. During the event, it attracted significant attention from many visitors, generating strong interest in the futuristic potential of food materials.
■Background of the Initiative
Nata de coco is a bacterial cellulose produced by acetic acid bacteria and is also known as a type of cellulose nanofiber (CNF). Fujicco Co., Ltd. has been Japan’s sole producer of nata de coco since 1993, advancing applied research for its use not only in food but also in cosmetics, paper products, and other diverse applications.
Assistant Professor Tara specializes in material-driven design research and art creation, focusing on nata de coco for its transparency, strength, and high moldability. He has previously exhibited artworks using this material, continually exploring the novel materiality and symbolism inherent in food ingredients.
This collaborative project explored the value transformation of byproducts in food manufacturing and the potential for circular design by utilizing “scrap material” generated during Fujicco’s production process as a raw material.
■Exhibition Content
The exhibited wedding dress was created by processing hundreds of nata de coco scraps using a unique molding technique, reconfiguring them into a light-transmitting layered structure. It highlighted nata de coco’s appeal—possessing optical and sculptural beauty despite being a food product—and received significant visitor feedback, such as “It doesn’t look like food” and “I feel the future potential as a circular material.”
■Future Outlook
Department of Design Futures, Faculty of Design, Kyushu University, and Fujicco Co., Ltd. will continue developing new applications for fermentation-derived materials, including nata de coco, advancing research into environmentally harmonious material development, expressive techniques, and societal implementation.
This initiative, which transforms byproducts from food manufacturing into new creative sources, aims to serve as a model case for building a circular society. We will continue promoting interdisciplinary projects spanning material research, art, and design.
Photo: The exhibited artwork (Photography by Kazuo Yoshida)
