Interview with Tŷ Syml

Being located in close proximity to a National Park sounds more appealing than ever; the thought of going to work in a rich and colourful tableaux of nature is perhaps the ultimate post-lockdown work-based dream (if there is such a thing). The expanse of greenery offered by Pembrokeshire certainly seems like a refreshing and wholesome place to ply ones trade. But for the team behind Tŷ Syml, it was the logical fit even before the national lockdowns, and with good reason. As a Welsh native, founder Adam Davies knows the countryside of the South West of Wales well, but it’s arguably the company’s direct links to nature that make the location most fitting. 

Whilst studying BA Product Design followed by a Masters in Design at Cardiff School of Art and Design, Adam discovered mycelium and quickly realised it’s exciting potential in forming sustainable composite materials. One of the major hooks for Adam and fellow founders Adam Humphrey and Daniel Davies is that mycelium products have a negligible impact upon the environment; something that has already been recognised by clients such as zero waste restaurant Silo, who commissioned a series of lampshades in 2019. 

I had a chat with Adam Davies to discover a little more about the studio’s ethos, their love of mycelium and plans for the future.

JB: “Environment” and “Sustainability” are relevant words to describe the studios approach to materials. Could you shed some light on your feelings for each? 

AD: My interpretation of the link between the word environment and our studio is the use of natural materials and local resources that allow us to create products that do not have a negative impact on the environment and are inspired by nature as well as reflecting this within their appearance.  In terms of the actual materials we use, this means that both our binders and the substrates are naturally occurring and recycled and they can quite literally be returned to the environment from which they came. 

With regards to the term sustainability, we choose to use the word responsibility instead as being sustainable does not necessarily mean taking a circular approach.  At Tŷ Syml we take into consideration the entire life cycle of the materials that we use and the products made, all the way from inception to completion.  This includes material sourcing, the manufacturing process and the products’ end of life.  The Cradle to Cradle principles are something that guide our decision making and ensure that we act as a responsible business.  

JB: That links to another very relevant word when describing the studio: “province.” In your case, that specifically refers to Wales, so how does the location of your studio affect the way you work?

AD: As a company, one of the main priorities is to have a positive impact on the Welsh economy and to put Wales on the map as a country; with a reputation for innovation and responsible design.  Tŷ Syml places value on the use of traditional skills that can be used to create modern and sustainable products using locally sourced materials. It aims to provide quality employment and training opportunities for local residents but also to attract highly skilled individuals to the area by providing diverse job roles.  The Welsh Government are already implementing legislations such as  Towards Zero waste: our waste strategy and the Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015 (Wales).  Tŷ Syml can provide support for such policies by diverting waste from landfill, developing new products from the waste and in turn having a positive impact on the local environment. 

JB: It seems you’ve shifted your focus more sharply upon that magical Mycelium – why so?

AD: I discovered mycelium and was instantly drawn in by its incredible properties.  For a simple microorganism that people have been growing for thousands of years, when combined easily with a natural substrate, it can actually end up out-performing more complex materials.  This can be  in terms of strength, durability and adaptability to name a few positive features that have come to light.  

I soon realised that such properties could allow mycelium to be used to create composites with a wide range of applications within design.  The main reason being that it is very versatile in terms of the size and shape of products it can be used to create. 

JB: Given that you are a relatively new studio how have you found the design world has responded to your approach? 

AD: Tŷ Syml has attended many exhibitions such as London Design Festival, Clerkenwell Design week and London Fashion week. We also won the New Designers Country Living award in July 2019. The business has since been featured in Wallpaper*magazine, ELLE Decoration and Dezeen. This attention has resulted in a significant amount of interest in our composite materials and has led to projects in the UK and on an international scale. It has also led us to expand our research to develop further products in order to meet the needs of an increasing number of clients with a diverse range of projects such as packaging for major brands and significant collaborations including that of Duved Framtid. This project is based in Sweden and involves the transformation of Duved into a self-sustaining zero waste village, utilising local waste in the production of new materials and buildings. Tŷ Syml hopes to play an important role in helping the village achieve this and have already produced a lampshade for their zero waste restaurant inspired by Sweden’s largest waterfall TÄNNFORSEN.

JB: I’m always interested in understanding the challenges that innovative material makers come across - particularly in the hope that writing about them may alert those who might be able to help. What would you say are the next steps in the studio's progress and what challenges do you see moving forward when it comes to scalability and gaining more projects?

AD: As with any new material, the research process with regards to the mycelium is particularly challenging. There are a very limited number of studies that we can use to provide evidence to support new applications of the material.  Instead we rely on our own investigation and experimentation in order to guide us towards possible outcomes.  This often means beginning the process without any preconceived outcomes and letting the materials evolve into the product.  For example, our Silo lampshades have a varied appearance due to differences of growth within the mould which we cannot predict but makes each one unique. 

A further challenge is then conveying the benefits of the materials used to create our products to customers without them seeing it first hand.  Much of our success has been down to recognising this and ensuring our clients can receive samples of the products.  We have also benefited greatly from having the opportunity to display our composites within materials libraries and during exhibitions.  Being able to handle the material has been a key to building the customer base that we now have.  

But we have also found the upscaling of our production to be a significant challenge.  Having considerable interest from within the design industry has led to an increase in demand for our products, that at times has been difficult to meet due to the restrictions of working in a small studio space. Our recent expansion, along with refining our current product range, investing in new equipment and adjusting manufacturing processes has improved our efficiency considerably.  

JB: Can you tell me a bit more about the PriestmanGoode project? It feels very fitting during a period where so many have had to turn to providing takeaway foods, which comes with the necessity of additional packaging.

AD: We were approached by PriestmanGoode after they had seen our materials at the Surface Design Show 2020 exhibition. They were looking for someone to provide a sustainable alternative to the styrofoam that would typically be used in takeaway food packaging. We will be developing a mycelium-based material that will be used within their new prototype food transportation bags. This composite will form the bottom tray of their food courier bags and will also provide insulation within to ensure the food is kept at a suitable temperature.

It is estimated that 10 million tonnes of packaging waste is produced each year in the UK. We are seeing innovation within technology, and how people buy their food, such as delivery and subscription services, yet the packaging associated with buying the food seems to be lagging behind in terms of innovation. This project with PriestmanGoode provided the perfect opportunity for us to begin to explore ways of innovating this side of the food industry.

This article was first published by Design Insider Live.