THE SCHOOL OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN 

GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY 

Under the provisions of the regulations for the degree 

MASTER OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN 

on

Monday, April 6, 2026

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. EST 

West Architecture 155

Teams Link:  https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/29155719067681?p=gafev0ZT8Bqa93armM
Meeting ID: 291 557 190 676 81
Passcode: Br6mD2HW

Jing Xie

will present a thesis defense entitled, 

"3D Printing Soap: Exploring New Biodegradable Materials and Creative Possibilities"

 Advisor: 

Dr. HyunJoo Oh, Georgia Tech School of Industrial Design & School of Interactive Computing

Committee:  

Dr. Abigale Stangl, Georgia Tech School of Industrial Design
Tim Purdy, Georgia Tech School of Industrial Design

Faculty and students are invited to attend this presentation. 

Abstract  

Soap is a colorful, DIY-friendly, and biodegradable material with potential beyond cleaning. This paper introduces a range of recipes for 3D-printable soap enhanced with additives that enable customization of color, scent, conductivity, and environmental responsiveness. To support fabrication, we designed a low-cost 3D printer with a custom extruder optimized for soap. Our evaluation considers biodegradability, water solubility, and reusability, positioning soap as a sustainable medium for 3D printing and interaction design. Through example artifacts, we demonstrate new expressive and functional possibilities, highlighting soap’s temporal materiality and potential as an environmentally responsible and responsive design material.