Emblamar studio holds a new patent in processing kelp.
Our business is based on this unique process that preserves the natural properties of kelp. We harvest kelp from its natural habitat and prepare it for applications using a novel environmentally friendly process.

This unique patent-protected process provides commercial opportunities for exclusive product development and marketing. The process creates a pliable textile-like material that retains the aesthetic features of kelp as found in nature.

The process can be adapted to produce material that is suitable for a range of applications, from clothing, to accessories such as wallets and handbags, to textiles for use in furniture and other household items.

The material can be assembled and used as-is, or in combination with textiles and other materials. Also, kelp from various sources and of different types can be used together to produce unique products that mimic the versatility found in nature. This forms the basis for a wide range of applications that are illustrated by the work that the studio has created to date.

Evolution of the Material Process

Katrín began collecting and experimenting with seaweed to preserve it for use in her artwork as she recognised its’ unique properties. A collaboration with Nýsköpunarmiðstöð Íslands (The Innovation Center Iceland) and The University of Iceland between 2012 and 2015 followed, and led to working with chemists and algologists developing the process further.

Katrín harvested seaweed across the Reykjanes Peninsula learning which locations provide the best seaweed and when to harvest, noting the tide times, the current and how the seaweed was effected by weather and other elements.

2015 saw a collaboration with scientists from The Keilir Institute of Technology for research into seaweed properties and further refining of the formula used for the process, as well as preparation for registering patents for the process that Katrín now holds.

In 2018 Katrín established Emblamar Studio to explore seaweed as a material, to continue testing and refining the process, and to create a design team from different fields utilising their specific skills to work towards a greater understanding using seaweed as a material.

The studios’ main objective is to contribute to a sustainable and profitable industry with seaweed, ready to be taken over by future generations.

For enquiries into business partnerships to develop or commercialise products using our proprietary process please contact us at hello@emblamarstudios.com or through the online form.