Image: Johanna Maierl, Celine-Arnould

HOW DID YOUR INTEREST IN STINGING NETTLE COME ABOUT AND HOW HAS IT DEVELOPED OVER TIME?
My relationship with stinging nettles goes back to my childhood, as I have always been fascinated by their abundance and how they form underground networks. The diversity of stinging nettles is impressive – you never see just one or two plants, but always entire stands. During my studies, I worked a lot on material research and sustainability in design and was able to combine this interest with the enormous potential of this plant, whether as a fabric-like material or as a basis for various products.

SUSTAINABILITY HAS A HUGE IMPACT ON THE DESIGN WORLD AND HARDLY ANY PROJECT SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO AVOID IT. WHAT ROLE HAS THIS PLAYED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MAISON VERTE?
Sustainability was already central to me during my studies. Among other things, I worked on a plastic upcycling project that addressed the pollution of the Nile by plastic waste. I have my roots in Egypt and a large amount of plastic ends up in the sea via the Nile, as many plastic bags end up in the river. I have developed a concept that utilises this resource and aims to be useful for the local population through drybags that allow valuables to be taken into the water. The plastic bag ends up back in the sea, but in a different form. When the project was interrupted by the Corona pandemic, I turned my focus to the stinging nettle, whose versatility and sustainability quickly captivated me.

HOW DID THE MAISON VERTE CONCEPT DEVELOP FROM THIS FASCINATION?
The concept of Maison Verte is as diverse as my interests. We think as broadly as possible about the nettle and work on a wide range of products, from drinks like gin to events like our pop-up in April 2024, to functional materials for houses and textile products. This diversity allows for different approaches to branding and organisation in our everyday lives.

Image, Maison Verte

MAISON VERTE DEVELOPED OUT OF YOUR GRADUATION PROJECT. WHAT INFLUENCE DID YOUR TRENDS & IDENTITY STUDIES HAVE ON THE PROJECT?
The variety of skills that are important for Trends & Identity are now a great advantage for such a broad-based project as Maison Verte. I have dealt with current topics such as sustainability and, through critical reflection, have come to the question of what a label can achieve in this context. How do we relate to design objects? How can designers create things that go beyond the feel or look of an object? How can a label convey a lifestyle philosophy?

THE Z-KUBATOR’S THEME FOR THE SEMESTER IS «IMPACT». HOW DOES MAISON VERTE MAKE AN IMPACT AND ON WHAT?
Maison Verte uses the concept of “from cradle to grave”, in which every phase of a product’s life cycle is taken into account. On the one hand, we focus on the sustainable use of nettles as a resource, which leads to circular value creation. Thanks to the local availability and rapid regrowth of the plants, we are helping to improve the soil and promote biodiversity – an important issue in Switzerland. A comparison in the textile industry, for example, shows that while conventional cotton is very resource-intensive and harms biodiversity through large-scale cultivation and the use of pesticides, stinging nettle is more resource-efficient and even strengthens the variety of different species. On the other hand, we are committed to raising awareness of stinging nettles. We give lectures, work with institutions and teach students, who may then continue to work with stinging nettles in their projects. And we have already been able to plant many new plants.

WHAT COMES AFTER THE NETTLE?
There are many unused wild herbs that offer a lot of potential. However, we have always decided to stick with nettles. We still have a lot of ideas and projects up our sleeve and, in addition to expanding our range in the food and beverage sector, we are planning to launch textile products in autumn 2024 and are working on a plastic alternative that is interesting for furniture construction. The beauty sector is also still untapped. The potential of stinging nettle is far from exhausted and it is a groundbreaker that will hopefully continue to have a positive impact on people and the environment.