Forust

Forust was founded to explore a simple but powerful idea: could waste sawdust become beautiful, high-value wood products through additive manufacturing?

I co-founded Forust in San Leandro, California with Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello of Emerging Objects. We shared a deep commitment to sustainability and material innovation, and a belief that waste streams — particularly sawdust — could be upcycled into something meaningful.

Using a 3D Systems ProJet 860 binder-jet printer, we transformed reclaimed sawdust into objects with the look, feel, and warmth of natural wood without harvesting trees for lumber. The printer’s full-color capability allowed us to embed wood grain directly into the printed geometry, creating products that celebrated both digital precision and organic aesthetics.

Forust demonstrated that additive manufacturing could close material loops — converting waste into design-led products for consumers, architects, and designers.

In October 2020, Forust was acquired by Desktop Metal, where the technology evolved into the Forust Edition of the Shop System and expanded the vision of sustainable, wood-based 3D printing at industrial scale.