Lampshades Made from Manure and Plastic Light Up WILDnights in Emmen
During WILDnights at WILDLANDS Adventure Zoo Emmen, visitors can explore a one-of-a-kind lampshade trail. The lampshades along the path are not only atmospheric but also sustainably made: from elephant and hippo manure, and plastic waste collected from the park itself. Students and researchers from NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences (Professorship Circular Plastics) developed them together with WILDLANDS.
From Waste to Product
The lampshades were created as part of the project Plastic Soup? Close the Loop!, an annual collaboration between NHL Stenden and WILDLANDS. Together, they explore how waste streams from the park can be transformed into new, usable products. This circular partnership previously won the audience award of Duurzame Dertig.
Two techniques were used to produce the lampshades: 3D printing and pressing. The printed shades are made from bioplastic and dried manure (90% bioplastic, 10% manure). There are also versions with wood fibers or entirely bioplastic. The pressed shades take circularity a step further: they consist of 60% recycled plastic from the park and 40% manure. This way, waste literally gets a second life as a source of light.
CMD Students Visualize the Design Process
In addition to developing the products themselves, Communication & Multimedia Design students are also involved in the project. They visualize the collaboration and design process, showing what designing with waste materials looks like in practice—from the first idea to the final product that you can see in the park.
Professorship Circular Plastics
