CORKFI
2025
designed with
ANA WATTY GUITERREZ
LINDA REISTRA
AMELIE PAUL



Based on used coffee grinds and cork, Corkfi is a biocomposite material reminiscent of leather. It is designed to be flexible, shock-absorbant and self-healing (like a cutting mat).

Unlike many biocomposite materials, Corkfi retains a pleasantly sweet scent, and does not decompose unless composted.

It can be easily cut and sewn on an industrial sewing machine.


In the time I’ve worked as a barista, I noticed how much organic waste one coffee shop produces a day and I became inspired to give a second life to this material. When my team and I were struggling with the moisture of our material samples, we found that the coffee grinds actually absorbed it just enough to leave our samples with a leathery finish.





My team and I designed an unseen material with so many possibilities with its properties. Although we only sewed a pouch, I see a future in the vast development of disposable wearables and flexible materials across industries.

A concept I am in the process of developing is Corkfi Slides.