Sharing Our Concept Development Report

Turning waste clay into opportunity

We’ve just published our Concept Development Report exploring whether recycled clay from construction waste could be used for 3D printing in Wales.

The idea is simple. Wales produces large amounts of clay as a by-product of construction and soil recycling. Most of it has limited value. At the same time, we need lower-carbon materials and new ways of building more sustainably. Could one problem help solve the other?

The report was shaped by learning from international pioneers like WASP (World’s Advanced Saving Project), alongside conversations with Welsh recyclers, designers and researchers. It sets out an early, practical exploration of what might be possible - starting small, testing properly and sharing what we learn.

This isn’t about rushing to scale. It’s about feasibility first: understanding material behaviour, safety and printability, and identifying sensible entry points such as tiles, panels or garden structures before anything bigger.

If it works, the potential benefits are clear:

• less waste to landfill

• lower reliance on virgin materials

• new circular manufacturing opportunities in Wales

This report marks an early step. No hype. Just curiosity, collaboration and clear next steps.

Read the full report here.