I've been seeing a growing number of products on the home decor market made from a mystery material: Jesmonite. I absolutely loved all the pieces I was seeing and I wanted to know more about this material and what makes it so popular! After a little research, this is what I learned:
Jesmonite is an incredible casting material that allows for endless possibilities of shape and color. Incredible, but not new! It was developed in 1984 by Peter Hawkins in the UK.
It is created using gypsum (a natural mineral) and modified with acrylic to create a composite material that behaves like resin but feels more like plaster. I had noticed the jesmonite pieces I have definitely have a smoother feel than plaster, and I guess that's the acrylic talking!
A Jesmonite ring cone by Piece by Jackson
To cast with Jesmonite, the composite is combined with water. The versatility of Jesmonite is key to its popularity. Before casting, additives can be included in the mix to create various sheens, textures, and density. This ability to customize is practically limitless, and so trending styles such as marble and terrazzo are simple to achieve.
A Jesmonite terrazzo stationery tray by Hey Kiddo Co.
Throughout Covid, people have been investing more into their crafts and finding new ways to make and create at home. Jesmonite as experienced a surge in popularity, as people experiment with making their decor items to enjoy and to sell.
Check out the range of jesmonite homeware products on TMDCo here!