Magis Bell Chair
Cover Magis Bell Chair

From tables made from marble dust to chairs created with waste from the car industry, the sustainable credentials of these furniture are just as impressive as their design ones

Eco-friendly decor was once something only hippies cared about. But as we've become increasingly conscious of our planet's fragility, a product’s life cycle, and our role between the two, the design world is shifting towards sustainable production. From greater supply chain transparency to using ethically sourced materials, this eco-renaissance is certainly a move in the right direction.

Furniture designers, who are more accustomed to using high-end materials, are now getting in on the action. They are finding innovative ways to make products from unexpected materials that are not only good for the environment, but look great. These materials which may have otherwise ended up in a landfill now have found a new lease of life.

See also: Sustainable Sunday: Award-Winning Architect Dr Tan Loke Mun Plants His Own Fruit Trees

Here are some of our favourite pieces:

B&B Italian Borea Outdoor Collection

Tatler Asia
B&B Italian Borea Outdoor Collection

As newly minted artistic director for B&B Italia, Piero Lissoni’s first collection for the brand, Borea, is its most sustainable furniture collection to date. Introduced as part of the Italian brand's outdoor range for 2021, the collection comprises of sofas, chairs and tables. While the light aluminium frames were inspired by the renowned designer fascination with aeroplanes and crafted with metal bending techniques primarily used in the aeronautical sector, seat cushions and fabric for the sofas and chairs are made entirely of recycled plastic water bottles. In addition to using recycled and recyclable materials, all furniture in the Borea collection can be completely disassembled and each element disposed of individually.

B&B Italia is available at Space Furniture

See also: How Comfort Works Saves Sofas From The Landfill

Tom Dixon Swirl Collection

Tatler Asia
Tom Dixon Swirl Collection

Made from a "mysterious" new material that resembles 3D marbled paper yet has the weight of stone, Tom Dixon's Swirl is a family of candleholders, bookends, vases and tables formed from marble dust. Monolithic yet sculptural in form, each piece has its own distinct silhouette, colouration and personality. A collection that continues the English designer's love for exploring unusual materials, this material is created using a unique process involving recycling the powdered residue from the marble industry. The material gets its dreamy patterns and bold colours from mixing pigment into it which is then combined with resin to create blocks of material. These are then sawn, sliced and turned on a lathe to create different objects.

Tom Dixon is available at Gudang Home

See also: 5 Women In Tech Championing Sustainable Change

Emeco Za Stools

Tatler Asia
Emeco Za Stools

Created by Emeco, the makers of the iconic 1006 Navy chair, the Za stool was has aspirations to become a timeless classic as well. Designed by Tokyo-based industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa, its name means “a place to sit” in Japanese. This straight forward moniker speaks to the multifunctionality of a simple stool that can be used indoors and out. Its purposeful simplicity showcases the recycled aluminium which Emeco has built its reputation for craftmanship and sustainability on. Lightweight, strong and anti-bacterial, aluminium can be recycled endlessly and the best representation of furniture that sits lightly on the planet.

Emeco is available at Space Furniture

Muuto Under The Bell Pendant Light

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Muuto Under The Bell Pendant Light

Designed by Copenhagen-based design duo, Iskos-Berlin, Muuto's Under The Bell Pendant Light's sleek grey surface belies its green roots. Composed of a material that uses up to 60 per cent recycled plastic fibres, the recycled plastic felt also absorbs sound and helps improve the acoustics of the room it inhabits. When hung over a table or in an open environment, the oversized pendant light's embracing shape creates its own cocoon beneath it while its graphic lines and subtle colour palette imbues spaces with a tactile and modern expression.

Muuto is available at Nostaloft

See also: Sustainable Sunday: The Husband-And-Wife Founders of Comfort Works' Zero-Waste Journey

 

Magis Bell Chair

Tatler Asia
Magis Bell Chair

Italian brand Magis does the ultimate in efficient recycling by putting the industrial waste from its own production facility and the local car industry to use in the Bell Chair. The lightweight, low-cost stackable monobloc chair was designed by Konstantin Grcic to be as efficient in its functionality as it is in its material usage and weighs 2.7kg, just over half the weight of a normal chair. It comes in three colours and can be used indoors and outdoors. At the end of its life, the chair can be recycled although Grcic emphasises that it's designed to be long-lasting.

Magis is available at Linds Furniture

See also: Malaysian Architect Serina Hijjas Discusses Legacy And Sustainability

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