Human hair is stronger and more resilient than ubiquitous fiberglass, so perhaps it was only a matter of time before it found its way into functional consumer products, furniture and the like. Ronald Thompson, an ex-assistant hairdresser, has invented a sustainable material from hair clippings that could eventually replace products that contain large amounts of fiberglass, which carries a huge ecological footprint. He is currently developing a range of chairs using his new material after collecting some of the 10,400 tons of spare hair in London. "I’ve always had a burning passion for design and environmental issues...I honestly couldn’t have predicted how things have turned out," said Thompson of his new venture. He's now looking at extending his hairy range to applications including structural beams, shoes – and even mascara. "I know some people think I’m bonkers, but products like fibreglass are damaging the environment and we need to look at alternatives," he said. Who knows...we may all be using hair for more than keeping our heads warm before long. [Azom] via [Hippyshopper]
