Silicone household use ventures beyond the kitchen

Silicone, once the material used to make spatulas, now has myriad home applications, such as lamp-shaped salt-and-pepper shakers, pads that adhere to any surface and can hold car keys, spare change and shopping lists, and even as upholstery for large items of furniture.

And at the forefront of the movement persuading people to think of silicone differently is a Hong Kong-based company that is now in some of the world's best stores (Harrods, La Rinascente and Sur La Table), and is continuing to align itself with notable names. In Hong Kong it is sold at Sogo.

"Silicone is not just about the kitchen any more," Ken Yeung, founder and chief executive of Silicone Zone, says. "It's in the living room, bathroom, outdoors. It can be used in unique ways."

A synthetic compound that is used in medicine, electronics and construction, silicone has been rising in popularity and visibility as an aid in the kitchen at a time when consumers are concerned about the potential toxins in plastics and non-stick cookware.

The fact that it is reusable, unlike foil and parchment paper, makes it an eco-conscious choice for baking. With its pliant, rubbery texture, it is heat resistant and food is less inclined to stick to it - a boon for anyone who has ever had to scrape burnt banana bread out of an aluminium baking dish. As a result, it is popular as loaf pans, muffin tin liners or to line a cookie tray.

"There is a function and quality to silicone that people started discovering, and it became a real option for them in the kitchen, in addition to tin or aluminium," Yeung says. "It was something fun and different to use."