Story provided by PSFK –

Swedish design studio Tomorrow Machine created a prototype self-cleaning plate and cup made of cellulose with a special superhydrophobic coating that makes them resistant to dirt and water.

The project, called Ekoportal 2035, was created for the Swedish Forest Industries Federation who asked the design studio and research institute Innventia to create three products that explore potential uses of cellulose created from materials from Swedish forests in the year 2035.

The self-cleaning tableware was created out of a light yet strong cellulose-based material that Innventia developed and covered with a hydrophobic coating that makes the product never in need of washing since it rejects dirt and water. The coating was developed by KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.

Aside from the self-cleaning tableware, the project included an item made from a cellulose-based plastic that can be 3D-printed and possibly made into self-assembling objects and a transparent digital touch screen made from nano-cellulose.