Glaz

Shellfish powder, seaweed and a few secret ingredients from fishing waste. It took three years of research for Lucile Viaud to develop this marine glass at the heart of the Ostraco brand. Journey of a design company.

It has the color of the waves that border the Emerald Coast, that of the ocean on very blue days or when the sun suddenly breaks through the clouds: it is glaz, between blue and green in Breton, and Glaz is its name. Marine glass. A new material with components resulting from fishery production. After 18 months of research with Cerfav (European Center for Research and Training in Glass Arts), designer Lucile Viaud has developed a "malleable glass that can be worked with all traditional glass techniques". The first tests turned out a green saltwater rustling with spray. A bit rough and frustrating, but promising. Today, it comes in the form of 7 pieces, stackable and combinable, with changing colors depending on the light and content. This first collection, Pot, is exhibited at the Cité de la mode et du design during the Off of Paris design week. With a now registered trademark: Ostraco, of ostracon, shell in ancient Greek, but also "shard of pottery which served as a writing or drawing medium in antiquity".

The desire to test, to explore further to arrive at a marketable product prompts Lucile Viaud to look even further. It arrives at Glaz today presented in simple, graphic form. Above all, he is a sailor for the most part. Based on oyster shell powder produced by the Kervellerin factory and various materials that are sometimes barely processed from the sea, its composition remains a closely guarded manufacturing secret.