Each lamp and lithophane are created with a 3D printer out of a material called Polylactic acid, (also known as PLA) which is a thermoplastic monomer derived from renewable, organic sources such as corn starch or sugar cane, making it both environmentally friendly as well as biodegradable.

A lithophane (French: lithophanie) is an etched or molded artwork in very thin translucent porcelain or plastic that can be seen clearly only when back lit with a light source.^[1][2][3] It is a design or scene in intaglio that appears "en grisaille" (in gray) tones.^[1][2][3]

A lithophane presents a three-dimensional image – completely different from two-dimensional engravings and daguerreotypes that are "flat".^[1][2][3] The images change characteristics depending on the light source behind them.^[1][2][3] Window lithophane panel scenes change throughout the day depending on the amount of sunlight.^[1][2][3] The varying lightsource is what makes lithophanes more interesting to the viewer than two-dimensional pictures.^[1][2][3]

The word "lithophane" derives from Greek "litho", which is from "lithos" which means stone or rock, and "phainein" meaning "to cause to appear" or "to cause to appear suddenly".^[2] From this is derived a meaning for lithophane of "light in stone" or to "appear in stone" as the three-dimensional image appears suddenly when lit with a back light source.^[1]