XIAOXUE ZHANG, China/UK

Corncob as Jewelry

Zhang’s master’s collection reinterprets agricultural waste as a source of beauty and value, transforming abandoned corncobs into modern jewelry. The project respects the natural properties of the corncob kernel, which is used as a substitute for gemstones in jewelry, while also promoting sustainable substitutes by exploring surface treatments such as gold leaf and biomaterials made from corncob waste. In doing so, it raises questions the hierarchy of material value in jewelry, broadens the scope of modern practice and suggests that even “trash” can be turned into something culturally "precious."

Material: corncob, gold Leaf, silver

Technique: development/creation of biomaterials

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Xiaoxue Zhang graduated with an MA in Jewelry and Related Products from Birmingham City University, School of Jewellery in 2025. Her jewelry focuses on sustainable design and material innovation. Her work explores how craft and design can transform perceptions of "preciousness" and encourage new thinking about value, waste and cultural expectations.

@xiaoxue_zhang_

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