Included among the perks of conventional ceramic tiles are aesthetic and textural appeal, durability, and increased re-sell value; included among the disincentives for making such an investment, however, are qualities like expense, difficulty of installation, and relative permanence, not to mention a high-environmental price tag. Philadelphia’s Mio and designer Jaime Salm have proposed an appealing alternative: the PaperForms Collection of paper tiles represents a new concept in surface coverings, giving you “the ability to customize and re-define space on a budget.”

V2 Collection of PaperForms Tiles. Designed by Jaime Salm. Manufactured by Mio.

Mioculture’s Paper Tiles Employ Closed-Loop Recycling to Minimize Waste

As designer and Mio Creative Director Salm says, “there are very few examples of completely waste-free manufacturing,” yet producing these durable, lightweight, modular, and versatile tiles comes darn close: “the paper molding industry works on this [closed-loop] principle by recycling the water used in the molding process and the paper products that are not to specifications.”

Thus, everything is gained and nothing is lost as Mio creates one batch after the next of these thermo-formed paper tiles. Each of the four styles in the PaperForms Line (“Flow,” “Ripple,” “V2,” and “Acoustic Weave”) features 100% pre- and post-consumer waste.

Installation options for PaperForms include the temporary strategy of double-backed tape, or the more permanent option of wallpaper paste. Additonal creative incorporations might involve nails, thumbtacks, or staples—and, as images from Mio’s gallery certainly show—PaperForms tiles definitely lend themselves to such aesthetic flights of fancy.

The question of finish options for PaperForms is sure to bring out your internal creative craftsman, as Mio suggests standard paint, magic markers, or environmentally-friendly varnish. Of course, this doesn’t preclude whatever singular innovation you might devise. As Mio reminds us, one perk of these inexpensive modular tiles is their tremendous versatility: “Transform a room in minutes with our modular 3D wallpaper tiles. Add color and texture to a single wall or an entire room. Create your own pattern variation by rotating the tiles or painting them in your favorite color.”

Via TransMaterial.

About the Manufacturer: Philly-based Mio creates “Beautiful, Sustainable, Affordable” solutions in lighting, surface-coverings, furniture, and accessories. The company’s hallmarks are fresh, fun designs; innovative materials; and a dedicated environmental ethos. Helmed by brothers Isaac and Jaime Salm (respectively, the “numbers guy” and “design guy”), Mio thrives on encouraging the consumer to make ecologically-conscious purchasing decisions: “the creation of what we call Green Desire… when consumers actually crave products that are sustainable and responsible.” Standouts among Mio’s product line include the acorn-esque Capsule Light, the intricate Origami Side Table, and the versatile PaperForms tiles.