Marine terrazzo: when shells become furniture
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An overlooked resource: 250,000 tonnes of shells per year
In France, the shellfish industry produces around 250,000 tonnes of shells per year. Oysters, mussels, scallops — these molluscs that enrich our tables generate a massive by-product: shells.
Until recently, these shells ended up in technical landfill. Marine terrazzo brings about a radical transformation: it converts what was considered waste into a luxury material for furniture and interior architecture.
This recovery redefines what we consider precious. A marine terrazzo tabletop is not just a beautiful piece of furniture — it is a statement on the circular economy and the valorisation of wasted resources.
The renaissance of terrazzo: from past to present
A Venetian technique from the 15th century
Terrazzo is no contemporary invention. In the 15th century, Venetian craftsmen developed a technique: mixing marble waste with a binder, polishing the surface to reveal the aggregates. The result: a durable and aesthetically rich material.
This ancient technique resurfaces today in a new form. In place of marble, recycled shells are used. In place of petrochemical resin, a biosourced or resin-free mineral matrix. Marine terrazzo is the terrazzo of the 21st century — more ethical, more ecological, more meaningful.
Ostrea: marine recycling applied to furniture
Ostrea is one of the pioneers of using shells for furniture creation. The concept is simple in appearance: recover the discarded shells of oysters and scallops from the shellfish industry, and transform them into a luxury material.
The industrial reality is more complex. Ostrea had to set up partnerships with producers, develop cleaning and preparation processes for shells, formulate a stable mineral matrix without resin, refine polishing and protection techniques.
The result is a tabletop that transcends its origin. When you see it, you first see a noble material. The ecological story comes as a second reading, adding an ethical dimension to the object. It's circular economy embodied.
A positive environmental impact
An Ostrea terrazzo tabletop represents a substantial CO₂ saving compared to other materials: 7.5 kg of CO₂ equivalent per m², five times less than ceramic. Shells don't have to be quarried nor transported over long distances: they come from a local source, along the Atlantic coast.
Available formats at Antifer
At Antifer, we offer a curated selection of marine terrazzo tabletops. The Ostrea tabletop is available in several sizes, shapes (rectangular and round) and finishes, in three compositions: Saint-Jacques Naturel, Huître au Naturel, Saint-Jacques Noir.
Pair it with our design table legs — the Sinus trestles, the E2 leg or the Stand trestles in ash — to compose a made-to-measure table.