Totomoxtle is a veneer made out of the husks of traditional, colorful, Mexican corn. Designer Fernando Laposse has developed this material and uses it to create a range of furniture and installations with unique tonalities. This offers a high-value application for this inedible byproduct and encourages the cultivation of the native maize varieties that aren't otherwise valued in the market.
Biodiversity benefits
By leveraging the characteristics of traditional corn and incorporating the husks into his designs, Laposse encourages family farmers to reintroduce native seeds that were being gradually replaced by hybrid corn varieties to supply international markets. These farmers are going back to traditional agriculture that relies on natural-, instead of chemical-, fertilisers and uses the best seeds for the next crops, thus eliminating the pollution that erodes soils and is harmful for biodiversity.
This page is part of a deep dive into biodiversity and food, where we delve deeper into regenerating nature by redesigning food systems.
