Rebirth

China is one of the world's largest grain producers. In a harvest season, it can produce over 700 million tons of straw waste. Straw waste is mainly used as fertilizer, but this is not an ideal solution as it can exacerbate crop pests and diseases. Due to the stimulation of straw, it can also increase the emission of greenhouse gases in the form of methane by 22-210%. Raising standards in rural areas has had a detrimental impact on the local economy. In the Chinese market, only 3% of straw raw materials are included in PP products, which are not environmentally friendly as they are not biodegradable. There has never been an expansion to produce 100% natural straw products. Every year at least 20% of the remaining straw (the rest mainly used for fertilizer, feed, incineration, new technology research, and product manufacturing) urgently requires reutilization of agricultural waste.

The development of Rebirth is to promote a circular bio-economy and provide economic and environmental solutions (for the Chinese market, but to some extent, also for other agricultural countries). It is developed by designer Zhenjing Lang. Rebirth can reuse 20% of waste as resources. Otherwise, the straw will be burned in large rural bonfires, reducing air quality, polluting groundwater levels, and reducing soil fertility. Straw waste can be utilized locally. It can also be removed from the field in a short time between harvest and subsequent crop sowing. It can be manufactured in the form of thin sheets in micro-factories in rural areas. Thinner sheets exhibit characteristics similar to cardboard, while thicker sheets are comparable to MDF and wood. It can be molded, laser-cut, and dyed.

Under specific guidance, it can also be replicated at home using thermal press technology with metal sheets. Thus, it can be mass-produced in cooperatives or family handicrafts. It decomposes without leaving any pollutants, and the material can be reshaped at high temperatures. Rebirth is lightweight; it releases a minimal amount of smoke in processes driven by heat, laser cutting, etc.; it decomposes without leaving any pollutants; it can withstand high temperatures (150 degrees Celsius) to reshape the material; it can be dyed; it can absorb oil and remain in its original state after drying; it is recyclable; the material's flexibility is limited by thickness (2 mm), etc.

This project explores applications based on readily available equipment in rural areas of China. As Professor Li Gang of the Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences pointed out, using these wastes or by-products as resources is a sustainable solution to the problem.

When formulating the funding structure for such programs, the needs and challenges of farmers were not fully considered. Environmental alternatives generated from straw waste depend on extensive support for straw collection, transportation, storage, and utilization at the regional or provincial level, which is almost non-existent. Infrastructure development requires substantial investment and expertise. The risk of conviction is high, but for farmers, open-air burning remains a cheap and readily available option. They would rather be fined or detained because they cannot miss the plantation or other choices.

Although Rebirth has undergone preliminary material testing, further, more comprehensive testing is needed to meet safety standards based on different usage purposes."