Merdacotta is a beautiful new kind of Italian clay made from, to put it delicately, shit. The inventors, who it may not surprise you to learn are the same people who run the Museo della Merda in Italy (the world’s first museum devoted to feces), have come up with a formula that uses cow dung as an ingredient for lightweight plant pots.
Among gardeners in the know, merdacotta plant pots are having a moment—and not just because of the ingenious re-use of a waste product. With subtle colors and richly textured surfaces (and stamped with “Shit Museum” logos), merdacotta pots and vases are a lovely complement to green foliage and flowers:
Above: Widely available in garden shops in Italy, a Merdacotta Vase with Bell is available in three sizes for prices from €14.90 to €21.90 at Agricola Shop. In the US, a Merdacotta Small Pot With Saucer is $45 and a Merdacotta Medium Pot With Saucer is $60 from Shed. Each pot is made of a mixture of clay, dung, and straw. Invented by dairy farmer Gianantonio Locatelli and architect Luca Cipelletti, merdacotta clay also can be formed into rustic tiles or simple furnishings (tables, stools, and benches). Above: Square Merdacotta Picture Frame Pots are available in four sizes for prices from €12.99 to €39.99 depending on size at Agricola Shop. In the US, Merdacotta Square Vases are available in three sizes from $30 to $60 depending on size at Shed. Above: Merdacotta Round Flower Vases in four sizes are from €12.99 to €39.99 at Agricola Shop. Small and Medium Merdacotta Round Vases are $40 and $65 respectively at Shed. N.B.: We’re also longtime admirers of traditional terra cotta. See:
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