What I find most interesting about this is the combination of two materials which have a rich history.
When I was visiting Tasmania ( below Australia ) they talked about the locals from there used to make items out of dried seaweed and how versatile it was. To think a combination of seaweed goo mixed with wool, to make bricks... Its like fiber glass but different.
Adding fibres to plaster and cement has a long history. Back in the days when horses were more common, horsehair was added to plaster to make it super strong. These days, you can get cement with plastic fibres mixed in.
This totally changes how I will play Settlers of Catan from now on.