Can we integrate trash and smelling good into one?
Perfumes are usually considered very luxurious, using excessive materials and always trying to communicate “cleanliness”, the very image of cosmetics and beauty. I challenge this perspective with a rugged, raw, boulder-shaped perfume built using abundant “leftover” materials commonly found in Indonesia.
Form R&D
Finding the most optimum form, given:
- Budget constraints in mold making: the mold wears, and quality drops as the number of casts increases
- Hold and stability while casting the liquid container in situ
- The manpower needed to cast
Material R&D
We explored a few mixes for the limestone concrete, blending it with cigarette ash, leftover sand from construction sites, and old minced plastic, as if it were terrazzo.
Each cast is unique, even if it is mass produced
The final product uses concrete mixed with transparent 3D-printing resin waste, which gives it a unique detail texture. Some of the concrete is also mixed with dark pigment to tell the two scents apart.
Other learnings for sustainability
We can always redefine and experiment with our concrete mix, especially when the work doesn’t concern structural safety. Many kinds of waste can be mixed with cement to form a unique concrete formula. As trends and the perception of luxury change, we can shift our luxury product culture towards recycled products.
Outcome
Fragggrance was planned as a commercial product. After the first run, my collaborators and I decided to step away because of time constraints and our other job responsibilities.
In its first four months it sold 150+ pieces at a 6x return on each, and was recognised as an ultra-niche perfume. More documentation is on Instagram: @fragggrance.