Redefiniendo la celulosa. La rama verde de los nuevos materiales

Cellulose, the most abundant biopolymer in nature, is present in plant cells and functions as a structure and defence network for plants, algae and even certain bacteria. This glucose chain requires other elements, such as binders, which increase its mechanical and chemical properties, reaching society in the form of cotton, cardboard or paper. Cellulose biosynthesis represents a key axis in the survival and development of the plant kingdom, overcoming the biotic and abiotic factors to which it is exposed: all types of mechanical stress, humidity, drought, predation and parasitism, among others. The degree of polymeri-sation and the presence and abundance of other chemical groups make it a versatile material that confers customisable properties. It represents a potential alternative to non-degradable synthetic materials, making use of cardboard and cotton waste in packaging and the fash-ion industry. The redesign of cellulose-based materials can add an additional layer to the circular economy of cotton and cardboard, allowing their use even at the household level. The article proposes a review of designers such as Nakao, with its production of fashion pieces, and projects at the Lausanne University of Art and Design, with advances made in the production of furniture and packaging. These designers create new high-performance biomaterials and show how they can be optimally and efficiently integrated into the de-sign flow, through techniques such as nanofibrillation, digital fabrication and lamination. This paper discusses issues related to material implementation forms, new machining pro-cesses, innovative methodological approaches, variations in the material matrix, cellulose sourcing and harvesting, and ecologically sustainable practices.