Fios de sustentabilidade: explorando o potencial da fibra de bananeira em revestimentos decorativos artesanais

Abstract

The global production of artifacts to meet market demands driven by growth has shown ecosystem degradation. Together with the increase in production, also increases the extraction of natural resources, the emission of pollutants and the amount of waste discarded, which are obstacles that reach irreversible points and indicate the choice of materials and process planning as a priority in the creation of new products. Research in the field of Design and Materials Engineering points to natural and renewable raw materials as a promising path to reducing environmental impacts. Among these materials, banana fiber represents a sustainable alternative as a component material for products due to its abundance and extraction process that collaborates with the plant's growth cycle. In this study, the main objective was to analyze the applicability of banana fiber in the composition of a modular cladding tile produced with the Association of Women Artisans of the Luminense Solidarity Economy - MADESOL through Design approaches guided by sustainability. Specific objectives focused on mapping design approaches guided by sustainability for the development of products and production systems, identifying the properties of banana fiber in the literature and evaluating the effects of time passing on the quality, sustainability and durability of the fiber that composes the modular tile. To this end, the Design Science Research methodological approach established by Dresch, Lacerda and Antunes Júnior (2015) is used for the creation of artifacts supported by scientific research. The results obtained proved the fiber's resistance to thermal manipulation up to the temperature of 200ºC, showing only moisture loss. Tests with new and old fiber tiles, separated by seven years between productions, demonstrated that the aging of banana fibers does not compromise the mechanical properties of the material itself or the decorative tile made of banana fiber. It is expected, as a result, that this research contributes to future studies on banana fiber processing and management systems for application in products, processes, or other uses that help reduce environmental impacts using renewable and local resources.