Leaves_3D-printed compostable plastic cups_Parc Jarry, Montréal_2016
Leaves is a collection of one hundred 3D-printed maple leaves made from one hundred disposable cups which were littered site-specifically in Montréal for an exhibition with Studio XX. The cups used to make these 3D prints are made of PLA (polylactic acid)—a polymer derived from corn sugar through a fermentation process that has been designed to be compostable at an industrial scale. Under the right conditions (high temperature, condensation, microbes) they may break down, but without such conditions they are similar to ordinary plastics.