Table of contents:
- Organic building materials: the materials
- Manufacturing
- Organic building materials are hard-wearing
- All around hay

Video: Bio Building Materials. More Than Almwiesn

Organoid Technologies brings nature inside. Organic building materials such as hay, flowers, grains, coffee beans or pods find their way into the interiors of private individuals, hoteliers or business owners as wall coverings, floors, furniture fronts or fabrics.
Author: Martin Mansel | Photos: Evelyn Becker / Martin Mansel
It all started with the “Almwiesn” and this surface is still a hit in the range today. With their products, the Organoid team has hit the nerve of the times. The company, founded in 2012 in Fliess, Austria, serves the desire for nature, organic and a sense of home. In Austria, of course, the hoteliers have also recognized this trend and want to satisfy the wishes of customers accordingly.
We looked at the production and two holiday hotels, in which Organoid products are installed in different areas.
Organic building materials: the materials
For its products, Organoid mainly uses materials that either come from nature or are left over from production in other companies or are not usable there. The keyword is upcycling. One example is the stems of peppermint, which are not used in tea production. They find their second life in a pressed form as a wall surface. The same applies to the small pieces of moss that are left over from a manufacturer of moss walls and panels. The latest find is the remains of a crystal glass production, which provide an interesting glitter contrast in combination with the classic "Almwiesn". Vanilla pods are also exotic in the upcycling range.
The hay itself, which forms the basis for many material mixtures, is supplied by alpine farmers from the area. The company stores part of the harvest itself, while others are called upon by the farmers if necessary. "The farmers are now proud that their hay is on the move worldwide," says Alexandra Jehart, who is responsible for communication at Organoid.
We also supply cornflower and rose petals, daisies, various types of lichen and moss or spelled husks, as well as coffee powder or sheep's wool. Whether a coffee roaster wants a wall design with coffee beans or a hotel acoustic panel with cornflowers, the space for individual design is enormous. "We work very customer-oriented," said Alexandra Jehart.
Manufacturing
A lot of manual work is required until a plate is finished. Usually several press passes are required. At “Wildspitze” the hay is pressed in the first course, flowers are sprinkled in the second and the whole thing is pressed again. What is special: The original feel and natural smell are largely retained. "We can adjust this with binders and pressure so that the material is very durable," explains production manager Marco Unterlercher.
The fact that the resulting thin layer can be connected with different materials, carriers can be HPL, nonwovens, self-adhesive films, acoustic or floor panels, makes Organoid interesting for many trades: painters, carpenters, interior decorators and designers are among the target group.
Marco Unterlercher explains: “We started with the laminated board because we want to address carpenters first. Many carpenters prefer to use flax fleece today because it is cheaper, but is also 100 percent ecological and fits well with wood. It can be processed just as easily as a laminate board. 80 percent of the painters buy the wallpaper because it is easy to process. The flexible fleece can be drawn around curves and is suitable for curtains or room dividers, even without a backing board.”The basic range now consists of 27 different surfaces that are always in stock. The wallpaper collection comprises five motifs.
Organic building materials are hard-wearing
Michaela Barbist, the managing director of the Hotel Tyrol am Haldensee, leads us through the new hotel building, which opened in summer 2019. "Clear the stage for nature" is the hotel's motto for adults only. Organoid products can be found in several areas. Outstanding individual items are the reception counter and the bar area. The reeds processed at the reception counter come directly from the Haldensee. The front surface of the bar is also clad in an “alpine meadow” version. Basically, the surfaces are suitable for use on stressed surfaces. Here it was decided to apply a subsequent protective coating made from linseed oil. In the hotel restaurant, the individual areas are dedicated to the seasons. For the acoustic panels, color-coordinated flowers were chosen that fit the respective season. Together with the interior designer, ideas were developed and the effects of the original materials “still unpressed” were tested on site, as Michaela Barbist describes it. The organoid experts then produced samples and finally the final versions.
All around hay
The "Wildspitze" in variants and also moss and rose surfaces are also used in the Hotel Holzleiten, also in Tyrol. Here you will find the materials mainly in the spa area of the 4-star bio wellness hotel. A highlight here: The “Wildspitze” can also be found on the floor in the relaxation areas. So you're surrounded by hay. In the saunas, parts of the room are designed with organoid surfaces and offer a beautiful contrast to the natural wood. At the beverage stations, the walls are covered with stimulating rose petals.
PraxisPlus
Organoid Technologies GmbH
Nettle garden 422
A-6500 flow
www.organoids.com