Tjeerd Veenhoven works on the edge between design and social entrepreneurship. Tjeerd focuses on the ‘inventing’ of materials, production techniques, experiments with crafts and unusual materials from all over the world. He develops new design products with those he supports the local economy in the respective countries and creates ecological consciousness. With his progressive, sustainable design models Tjeerd has a clear mission: design is not only focused on aesthetics and function, but functions as artistic statement and engagement; a need for a ‘better world’. In bur0 Gr0ningen Tjeerd presents his project Wishful Thinking, Wishful Doing. The tulip is a famous icon of the Dutch culture; thousands of hectares are exported worldwide. Tjeerd developed a method, a mechanical and biochemical process, to extract natural pigments from the waste residual of flowers like the tulip leafs. With this color extract he comes to totally new products variating from finger-paint to coloring of biological plastics. In the 24/7 illuminated exhibition display Tjeerd reaches the visitor an insight view into the sustainable processes of developing and creating of special, innovative ideas.
Tjeerd Veenhoven about his Palmleather Project at Dutch Profiles