[Folk]
Folk is an ongoing research exploring the Broomcorn plant—an ancient, resilient fiber crop traditionally cultivated for its stiff stems, used across cultures to make brooms and brushes. The project reimagines Broomcorn's traditional uses for contemporary design in a changing climate.
Folk is Studio Noff’s ongoing research into Broomcorn (Sorghum bicolor var. technicum)—an ancient and resilient fiber crop used for centuries to craft brooms and brushes across cultures.
As global temperatures rise and farmers across Europe are forced to reconsider their crops, Broomcorn, along with other Sorghum varieties, offers a unique alternative. Thriving in warm, dry climates and requiring little water, it is already being tested by farmers in the Netherlands as a potential new crop.
As climate conditions shift, prompting changes in agricultural practices, the project also seeks to rethink the objects that surround us—and the ways we make them. The first chapter of the project was presented during Dutch Design Week 2025, exploring the material and aesthetic qualities of Broomcorn in contemporary contexts. This exploration uncovers new possibilities for the material, transforming its humble, utilitarian origins into sculptural and functional expressions.
By learning from resilient, time-honored practices while testing new ways of making, Folk reimagines Broomcorn not only as a sustainable crop but as a living material for contemporary design.
As global temperatures rise and farmers across Europe are forced to reconsider their crops, Broomcorn, along with other Sorghum varieties, offers a unique alternative. Thriving in warm, dry climates and requiring little water, it is already being tested by farmers in the Netherlands as a potential new crop.
As climate conditions shift, prompting changes in agricultural practices, the project also seeks to rethink the objects that surround us—and the ways we make them. The first chapter of the project was presented during Dutch Design Week 2025, exploring the material and aesthetic qualities of Broomcorn in contemporary contexts. This exploration uncovers new possibilities for the material, transforming its humble, utilitarian origins into sculptural and functional expressions.
By learning from resilient, time-honored practices while testing new ways of making, Folk reimagines Broomcorn not only as a sustainable crop but as a living material for contemporary design.
Photography by Daniel Elkayam.