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StoneCycling - How It's Made

How It's Made

Upcycling as much waste as possible and turning it into unique and beautiful building materials. That is our mission.

In everything we do, upcycling, design and craftsmanship play a central role. Beyond functionality, we’re committed to proving that waste can be a resource that opens up a new range of aesthetic and surprising forms, textures, and colours.

With a value chain involving many different companies, each with different goals and ambitions, the process is complicated:

 

 

Waste Processing

StoneCycling - How It's Made - Waste Processing - Collecting
Debris from construction and demolition is one of the biggest waste streams in the world. In Europe, it accounts for approximately 30% of all waste generated.
StoneCycling - How It's Made - Waste Processing - Sorting
Before processing, we carefully select the waste streams that we work with.
StoneCycling - How It's Made - Waste Processing - Grinding
To prepare our recipes, the waste is ground into the right grain size.
StoneCycling - How It's Made - Waste Processing - Mixing
The sorted waste is now being prepared for transport to the production facility.

Production and Testing

StoneCycling WasteBasedBricks® - Pistachio Custom Sizes
The ready mix consisting of 60% waste is now moulded in different shapes and sizes. The production is set up in a flexible way, which allows us to produce nearly any size or shape you require.
StoneCycling - How It's Made - Production and Testing - Drying
After releasing the bricks from the moulds, they are dried to prepare them for the firing process. In many cases, drying goes faster because of the composition of the brick.
StoneCycling - How It's Made - Production and Testing - Baking
The bricks now go into the kiln. In some cases, due to the ingredients, we can fire at a lower temperature. At the moment we use natural gas as fuel for the firing process. Our production partner uses a gold standard forest compensated gas. This means the carbon emissions of the firing process are being compensated by planting trees.
How to Find the Best Brick Types and Colours? 3 Creative Ideas! || StoneCycling
All the products we sell are independently tested by an accredited external laboratory. The test results are then translated into a datasheet that can be used by architects and contractors to determine the technical specs and mortar type.

We’re looking forward to creating beautiful and sustainable buildings together!

Future-Proof Office Space with Adyen in Amsterdam || StoneCycling
BREEAM Outstanding Interior at LC Packaging HQ in The Netherlands || StoneCycling
StoneCycling || The West, 11th Avenue, New York, USA
77.250 kg upcycled waste

Future-Proof Office Space with Adyen in Amsterdam

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46.415 kg upcycled waste

Limited Edition Brick for Corporate Interior

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260.000 kg upcycled waste

Sustainable Truffle Facade in New York

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Biomimicry - Copying Nature

StoneCycling + Biomason BioBasedTile Process
Traditional cement production accounts for 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions. Without radical change, building our world’s infrastructure destroys our chance at a healthy and safe future.
StoneCycling + Biomason BioBasedTile Process
We learned how nature grows through one of its most robust and enduring structures: coral. Taking inspiration from marine ecosystems, we’re eliminating the need to emit carbon to produce building materials.
StoneCycling + Biomason BioBasedTile Process
For over 200 years, traditional cement production has released carbon dioxide as a byproduct. Biocement®, the binder of BioBasedTile is a multi-patented process that harnesses carbon the same way nature does, preventing emissions. Biomason combines carbon and calcium to produce Biocement®.

Production and Testing

StoneCycling + Biomason BioBasedTile Process
The BioBasedTile consists of 15% Biocement® and various other ingredients such as waste materials from granite production.
StoneCycling + Biomason BioBasedTile Process
Our production partner developed a custom moulding and shaping process to transform this unique recipe into various sizes, shapes, and textures.
StoneCycling + Biomason BioBasedTile Process
After being released from the mould, the products now have to cure for about 72 hours (compared to 28 days with traditional cement) at ambient temperature. After drying they are ready to get packed and shipped to our clients.
Sustainable Building Materials: BioCement BioBasedTiles®Salt & Pepper - StoneCycling® X Biomason®
All products are carefully tested according to American and European standards. Testing is done internally and externally by specialized independent organizations.

We’re looking forward to creating beautiful and sustainable buildings together!

First Ever Installation of BioBasedTiles® at Dropbox in San Francisco, CA
World's Largest Installation of Biocement® to Date at Helix Lab in Denmark || StoneCycling X Biomason
Martin Marietta HQ in Raleigh, North Carolina || StoneCycling X Biomason
15816 kg upcycled waste

Flooring at Dropbox in San Francisco, CA

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18656 kg upcycled waste

Flooring at Helix Lab in Denmark

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11374 kg upcycled waste

Pavement at Martin Marietta in Raleigh, NC

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Our Journey So Far...

2009 - 2011

Design Academy

StoneCycling was conceived at the Design Academy in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Then student, Tom van Soest focused on upcycling waste he found in vacant buildings awaiting demolition. Tom graduates from the Design Academy and founds his company StoneCycling with long-time friend Ward Massa. While Tom stays focused on his strengths in product development, Ward takes on the role of business strategist.

StoneCycling Story: Design Academy
2013 - 2014

Aesthetics & Sustainability

Even though there is serious interest in their products by architects and project developers met at various trade shows and events, StoneCycling has yet to sell their first brick or tile.

All that’s needed are the right certificates to prove their bricks fulfil the legal requirements of health, safety and environmental regulations, but the research needed to receive these documents does not come cheap and money is running out.

Tom van Soest, StoneCycling // Blended Materials
2015

Launch of the WasteBasedBricks®

After a feature in regional newspaper Limburgs Dagblad, based in Tom’s home province of Limburg in The Netherlands, the phone starts ringing.

The launch of the first range of WasteBasedBricks® results in more media coverage, ranging from various Dutch national newspapers to even more prestigious mentions such as one in the British daily newspaper The Guardian.

StoneCycling Story: Launch of the WasteBasedBricks®
2016

Dream to Reality

These are exciting times for StoneCycling, as building from waste is now no longer just an idea, a concept or a thought. What started out as a dream is becoming a reality.

StoneCycling gets featured in respected publications such as Fast Company, Smithsonian and Dezeen. But the year doesn’t end here: with an approach that demonstrates “courage and the passion of a true artisan”, Tom also gets chosen as the winner of this year’s Young Designer Award at the Dutch Design Week!

StoneCycling Story: Dream to Reality
2017

Scaling Up

Scaling up the business provides an exciting challenge for the team, and the search for a committed production partner comes to fruition. Derck Zilverschoon, owner of the highly specialised brick production company Zilverschoon Randwijk, shares StoneCycling’s passion for sustainability. Together they start working further on developing and scaling up the next generation of building materials.

StoneCycling Story: Scaling Up
2020

Amsterdam, London, New York

The international focus also starts to pay off with new projects being realised in Amsterdam, London and New York. This year also marks another milestone as StoneCycling’s biggest project to date, a residential development with over 260.000 kilograms of upcycled waste, is being constructed on 11th Avenue in New York City.

StoneCycling || The West, 11th Avenue, New York, USA
2022

Welcome to the New Stone Age

StoneCyling has come a long way, but the journey to a circular world is only just starting. From large and small building facades to the interiors of houses, offices, cafes and restaurants, the team can’t wait to transform even more tons of waste into unique spaces around the world!

2022 will mark the launch of new products and technologies that enables StoneCycling to take a step closer to fulfilling their mission.

StoneCycling Story: 2022