Inspired by the chairs of our childhood, this modern lounge chair is a rattan-based derivation of the iconic Eames chair!

Inspired by the chairs of their childhood, Cuong Nguyen designed RU, a rattan cushioned lounge chair that weaves together nostalgic and modern elements to bring us back to the simple times of our own childhood all in the comfort of our living rooms today.

Remember the chair from childhood that everyone called dibs on? Whether it was the honey walnut wood rocking chair or the unmatched leather power recliner, the chairs from our childhood will forever bring on a feeling of comfort. What I’d give to sink back into my childhood family room’s chenille tweed corner sofa with a can of soda in one hand and the TV remote in the other. Industrial designer Cuong Nguyen took to the interior design of their own childhood for inspiration in visualizing RU, a rattan cushioned lounge chair that finds modern comfort in its nostalgic design.

Described by Nguyen as, “A bit of embracing crib, a bit of the curve of dragonfly wings, interpreted by rattan,” the arms and lower back of RU feature webbed rattan weaving to support the cushion’s taut upholstery fabric. Muted in freckled amber orange, RU is paired with an ottoman that can either tuck beneath the chair’s cushion, work as a footrest, or become an additional seat.

Both the lounge chair and ottoman are propped atop a cushioned base to embrace the comfort that RU was designed to provide. Named after the Vietnamese word for ‘lullaby,’ Nguyen conceptualized RU to be made up of materials from their childhood, namely rattan and what appears to be a tightly woven linen fabric.

While the wide size and the gradual slope of RU’s backrest hearken back to the 1990s when lounge chairs were all the rage and designed to swaddle you whole, Nguyen incorporated modern elements like slim, yet plush cushions and uniform upholstery to bring RU into the 21st century. All of these design features enhance RU’s comfort, but the rattan touches are the sure showstopper.

Noting his inspiration behind choosing rattan as a building material, Nguyen describes, “To me, lines and materials should be the storytellers in product design. Therefore, when you lie down on this chair, I hope that sweet childhood memories will come back to you and lull your mind to peace.”

Designer: Cuong Nguyen

Rattan armrests and backing support RU’s slim upholstered cushion.

The gradual slope of RU’s backrest provides plenty of space for lounging, a nice ’90s touch. 

While the rattan armrest and expansive backrest are design elements rooted in the ’90s, the slim cushion and uniform upholstery bring the RU lounge chair into the modern era. 

This Styrofoam chair is designed to replace your trusty lounger by adapting to your body shape over time!

Like a good pair of jeans, the Tamable Chair only becomes more comfortable with wear-and-tear.

Styrofoam is like an improvised shapeshifter. It’s used for anything from packing material to insulation to play products. Composed of 98% air, styrofoam is well known for its shock-absorbent properties, making it the ideal choice for packing material. The rest of styrofoam is made up of closed-cell extruded polystyrene foam (XPS), a type of dense craft building material that gives styrofoam its rigid appearance and stiff impression. The buoyant nature of styrofoam and its dense, rigid makeup inspired Seoul-based Fountain Studio to design the Tamable Chair, an ergonomic, conceptual chair entirely made from styrofoam.

The Tamable Chair maintains the shape of a traditional lounge chair for optimal comfort. Over time, the Tamable Chair’s surface morphs to different seated positions and becomes more comfortable with continued use. Styrofoam is composed of 98% air, making it the ideal packing material. Styrofoam tends to contort and warp when pressure is applied to its surface.

Even as kids, poking at sheets of styrofoam taught us that the depressions our fingerprints make don’t rise. Fountain studio used that insight when developing the Tamable Chair to allow the styrofoam surface to adapt to different body shapes and seated positions.

Fountain Studio set out to create a lounge chair that naturally morphs its outermost surface to adapt to different seated positions. Finding the ideal building material, Fountain Studio’s Tamable Chair is made from styrofoam for its tendency to contort and bend when pressure is applied, giving the chair an adaptable and lightweight comfort that gets better with use.

Fountain Studio considered other buoyant building materials before settling on styrofoam. The Tamable Chair is entirely made from expandable polystyrene that was put through a CNC milling machine to give the block of styrofoam some stylistic ridges and a fully-formed chair shape. Like a good pair of jeans, the Tamable Chair only becomes more comfortable with wear-and-tear.

CNC milling techniques were used to give Tamable Chair stylistic ridges and a unique shape. The Tamable Chair morphs its surface and overall shape with each new seated position—the ridges level out to become a squeaky, flattened surface more similar to that of traditional chairs.

Designer: Fountain Studio

When sitting on Tamable Chair, the chair’s seat forms a depression that remains even after you leave the chair.

Over time, the ridges level out and form a squeaky flattened surface.

The more one sits in the Tamable Chair, the more familiar it becomes, passing from rigid indentations to a smooth surface.

This traffic cone uses a one-of-a-kind transformation to become a stackable stool. Watch the video!

Inspiration for design hits when you least expect it. Could happen when you’re binge-watching your favorite show on Netflix and it could happen as you’re tirelessly flipping through old art books itching for an idea to hit. For Timo Riemann, a Germany-based design graduate, inspiration seemed to have hit while he was busy watching a traffic cone across the street from where his school lecture was taking place. Envisioning the blueprint for a traffic cone that could unfurl into a stool, Riemann developed Pylon, a convertible stool that doubles as a piece of interior artwork and also saves space in the living room.

At first glance, the Pylon appears as an ordinary traffic cone. Brass hinges line the circumference of the cone’s round base and hint at the traffic cone’s secondary form. By unlocking one of the brass clasps along the base’s outer edge, the traffic cone unfolds and inversely furls back together to form a stool, complete with four-pointed legs. Described as a “cross-section between art and design,” Riemann’s traffic cone stool has a certain industrial appeal – the ideal interior furniture piece for a warehouse turned art studio. Pylon was constructed from laminated fiberglass, fiberglass-reinforced polyamide, as well as a collection of molds that harden Pylon into its full shape. In addition to its fiberglass structure, the brass locks and hinges that line Pylon’s base each were made one-of-a-kind to streamline Pylon’s metamorphosis from traffic cone to office stool.

Initially thought of by Riemann as a last-minute idea for a class assignment, Pylon’s blueprint practically opened itself up to Riemann before he hit the workshop to begin the stool’s construction. Stackable and versatile in purpose and design, Pylon is an exciting piece of furniture for the design enthusiast in each of us.

Designer: Timo Riemann





By simply unlatching one of the cone’s metal clasps, Pylon then unfolds to inversely connect once more, turning it into a stool.

One-of-a-kind metal clasps and brass hinges were integrated into Pylon’s base to ensure a seamless transition.

The Pylon stool morphs from traffic cone to office stool simply by inverted its structure and flipping it upside down.

Pylon was constructed from laminated fiberglass, fiberglass-reinforced polyamide, and a series of molds.

Top 15 flat-packed designs that reimagine how to ship & store everything from automotive to architecture!

As the world grows smaller, physically and metaphorically, we need product designs that save space, are easy to store and portable, especially as our lives have become more flexible with remote work taking over. This is why flat-packed designs intrigue me because they check all of these boxes! But when you think “flat-pack”, the only thing that comes to mind is packaging and that is why I wanted to curate a list that showed that pretty much anything can be flat-packed – scooters, tiny homes, electric vehicles, pet shelters, photobooths, furniture, and more. The following list has 15 designs spanning over multiple verticles that showcase just how versatile this design principle can be. These designs not only rank high on space efficiency but also eliminate the usage of heavier space-consuming designs. They are functional, ergonomic, minimal, modular and just outright brilliant!

ooo

It’s worth noticing how the OO Stool does such a great job of combining sustainability along with technology and a pinch of heritage. Made from a single board of bamboo plywood, the stool is CNC machine-cut in a way that integrates every single aspect of the stool into its design. Everything you need to build the OO Stool sits within that flat-packed jigsaw puzzle of bamboo pieces, minimizing waste by using as much negative space as possible. The legs form the outside, while the dual-layered seat of the stool sits on the inside, with the negative space being filled by tiny rectangular pieces that help lock the stool in place, and even a bamboo hammer to help assemble the stool! The OO Stool uses absolutely no glue, screws, or nails… just really smart designing and Japanese joinery techniques.

plus

How cool would it be if we could roll up our furniture just like we roll up our clothes to save space right? Well, designer Richard Price kind of make it happen by creating Plus+ – a flat-packed furniture system that maximizes living space and minimizes storage space! Plus+ fits your needs and comes with multiple configurations. The flexible furniture system increases its likelihood to adapt by using a snap-together frame with a joint system across the whole range. The modular design can be easily be assembled and upgraded with new features or additional accessories which enables it to grow with your needs or new spaces.

Products can be functionally beneficial and aesthetically beautiful without having to be complicated. Fold Lamp proves just this. Destined for a life within a domestic dining room, the magnesium lamp is elegantly suspended from the ceiling, introducing a gentle glow to the room. However, elegant aesthetics aside, it’s the consideration to the manufacture of the product that makes this project so intriguing. Constructed out of a single piece of magnesium that has been efficiently metal-stamped, Fold Lamp doesn’t require any additional hardware! So, what benefit does this have? Well visually distinctive form aside, in the unfolded orientation, it can significantly reduce shipping expenses from international manufacturers!

Created using merino felt wool and birch wood, the Wool Lodge is a safe haven of sorts for your pet. You can arrange and form the flat-packed structure by yourself easily. The lodge features merino felt roof, with the rest of the structure being made from wood. Defleur’s lodge basically has two functions. Spacious enough to fit your cat’s litter box, the lodge shelters the box within its structure. Your cat can sneak away, and pee or poop in privacy, away from any prying eyes. On the other hand, you can install a soft cushion or mattress instead of a litter box in the lodge. This creates a personal space for your pet, it could be a cat or a doggo on the smaller side! Whenever your pet wants to simply relax and getaway, they can hop into the shelter, safe from any external noises or extreme temperatures.

spinel

This flatpack design unfolds into a layered lamp! Spinel is a hanging light designed to be easily transformed. The main goal was to create a product that didn’t take up too much space and was also sustainable. “Our responsibility as designers is to produce objects that occupy the smallest possible volume. The purpose is to use the least amount of raw material, producing long-lifespan objects that can be easily recycled,” says Guille Cameron. The origami-like form is minimal, elegant, and certainly unique. Unfolding the lamp adds a dynamic layer to the product and the wooden design itself is a warm addition to any space.

foldio3

With the Foldio3, tongue-tantalizing photographs are just literally a portfolio case and 10 seconds away. While most traditional photo set-ups comprise a room full of equipment and hours of setting up, the Foldio3’s innovative design puts all of that into a small flat-packed case that can fit right under your arm. Open it out and assemble it using the magnetic locks and you have yourself a studio-grade lightbox for your product photography. On the top of the box are 3 LED strips too, negating the need for those massive bulky studio lights. The Foldio3 comes with two backdrops too, black and white, depending on the kind of shot you need. You can even use your own green backdrop for those green-screen applications.

The Folpen is tinier and more compact than your usual pen, however, what sets it apart are its components. The pen comprises of an ink refill and a plastic sheath. Surrounded by a ribbed plastic sheath, resembling the covers used to protect our iPads and tablets, the refill is enveloped by the sheath, forming the pen’s body. With the sheath folded around the refill, it snuggles comfortably within and only its much-needed nib peeks out. On folding it, the cover forms a triangular flat-packed structure around the refill, creating a pen with an ergonomic form that is easy to hold and operate, as well as to carry around. The end of the cover has been equipped with a magnet, so you simply wrap the folded pen onto a book, and it attaches itself to the book instantly.

This minimal and elegant piece by Annabella Hevesi called the O TRL lets many of us living in tiny spaces enjoy the luxury of having a movable cart. This tray table is a versatile piece of furniture – use it to store your stationery, kitchen knick-knacks, or as a makeshift desk in work from home emergency scene – the pure and minimal aesthetics of this design make it a perfect match everywhere. The trolley has a slim and sleek silhouette and is constructed using a black MDF board, powder-coated steel, and rubber. Do not be fooled by its humble looks; this tray can bear its fair share of weight and move around smoothly, given its large weight-bearing wheels. Sleek, versatile, and fun, this tray table defines the blueprint of what functional furniture design must be like, a 2020 version of Bauhaus, if you will.

Jupe is a portable off-grid shelter that flatpacks so you can pick any spot on the planet and pitch your tent. The futuristic silhouette is inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: Space Odyssey which explains the aluminum pole frame and glowing Firesist fabric exterior which also make it suitable to withstand different climate conditions. Designed by a team of multidisciplinary experts from across the housing, architecture, and engineering industries, including former SpaceX, Tesla, and AirBnB, Jupe is the best in the game. It can be assembled in hours and gives you a 111-square foot space featuring tall ceilings, finished Baltic birch wood floors, a queen bed, and a storage area – think something right in the middle of a tiny home and glamping pod. Mobility is at the core of the design and hence chassis foundation has been created in a way that involves no decking or foundation to be built which makes the shelter adaptable to any terrain, level or not, and leaves the land minimally disturbed.

Höga is a vehicle that adapts IKEA’s winning philosophy of production, packaging, and practical use to give the users a comfortable ride that’s highly functional. This is intertwined with Renault’s advanced mobility platform to create an urban commuter with sustainability in mind. The vehicle’s body is recycled into other products after its lifecycle keeps the waste to a minimum. Design inspiration for the practical commuter comes from the classic Bauhaus principle of clean and purposeful design. The car ships right out of reusable crates to cut on transportation costs, and once it reaches the destination, the containers are reused to ship back broken furniture. Just like IKEA, Höga can be assembled by one person in few hours thanks to its simple LEGO-like attachable frame elements in a perfectly symmetrical design. There are 374 total parts and 114 individual parts, but don’t worry the instructions are easier than those of IKEA!

Switch is designed to make commuting in the city easier and solve the troubles one faces like the frequency of public transport, crowded parking, and poor infrastructure. Currently, you have electric rideshare scooters that are popular in urban settings like Bird, Lime, and Yugo but they come with an added responsibility of parking and crowding the sidewalks. It’s different from its competitors because it is truly portable. The flat-pack mechanism allows you to just fold it up and carry it along even if you’re walking or using a public transport service, you won’t have to worry about loading it and unloading it. It has a sleek build that blends in with your lifestyle and is as easy as carrying a backpack. The scooter comes with a fingerprint-enabled unlock button which is located below the handlebar. One of the coolest features is how the accelerator and brake pedals have been incorporated into the handlebar – it simplifies the user experience and interface!

The Lu chair folds without effort and can be carried around easily. A lot of designs we see are foldable but even after folding not easy to carry around or takes too much time to fold. Made up of plastic, this makes the mechanism work perfectly. As Lu explains, “Many times we find ourselves having to put away objects, perhaps to make room, perhaps to clean the house and sometimes even to take them with us, but above all for furniture of a certain level it is always very difficult. This is where “Lu chair” was born, a dining chair suitable for different types of target, from the most elegant and sophisticated with an eye to detail but also to a younger, fashion-conscious audience. The design is innovative and elegant at the same time and the name “Lu” derives precisely from “luggage” because of its ease of being resealable and transportable wherever you want.”

World’s first paper disposable razor unveiled in Japan! This gives a completely new meaning to the word ‘papercut’! Paper Razor is a sustainable alternative to disposable plastic razors. It is crafted from water-resistant paper like the ones used in milk cartons and it can also withstand temperatures up to 104°F (40°C) in case you like to shave with warm water. The razor weighs 4 gms and only 5 mm thick thanks to its all-paper body with a metal blade-head on top. Designed to be flat-packed, the single-use razor comes completely unfolded and can easily be put together in seconds by folding in the sides and the top to create a rigid, ergonomic razor with a grippy handle. Its origami-inspired design gives it as much strength and maneuverability as a plastic razor while minimizing the use of plastic by as much as 98%. The result? A razor that can be easily flat-packed and shipped, used and then disposed of…safely, of course.

singlemoldchair

Chair 1:1 was born after a rigorous 5 year long design process that gave us a mountable/demountable chair whose every piece was molded in one go. This optimized the mold size, speeded up production, and reduced waste drastically when compared to a traditional chair. “It is sold just as it comes out of the mold, bypassing several steps; it will be the buyer who will complete the process: this is what we call hyper-seriality,” says the designer duo. “When looking at the Chair 1:1, it is inevitable to have a blast from the past, remembering the boxed toy kits. There are no screws nor bolts: assembly is effortless + quick. Mounting an object makes a bond with it and makes you feel its full value; it builds an affection that stops you from getting rid of it.” The fastening elements of the individual parts are made to be easily producible and extremely resistant. It has been designed to be easily stored, shipped, and transported – 26 boxed up chairs take up only 1 square meter which is the key to increasing online sales as well as shipping sustainably!





This cardboard chair is 100% recyclable, biodegradable, and easy to assemble! The MC 205 Cardboard Chair can be flat-packed and requires no tools to put together – something better than puzzles for game night? There were 13 prototypes before the MC 205 was finalized and now the company has released MC 207 which has been tweaked to be more comfortable. The team has also built upon the chair by adding more furniture like couches, tables, and counters made with the same principle. Imagine this but in the shape of the Iron Throne!

This ergonomic stool makes sitting down and standing up a whole lot easier!

Chairs are one of the most designed pieces in the industry and reinventing that wheel is hard but Sano shows us that there is still more room for adding a worthy seat at that table! This high stool provides a healthy and playful seating experience.

Sano’s seat-bed is placed on an elastic ellipsoid which allows for the movement that makes it unique and also provides support while standing up. The ellipsoid is refillable and can be adjusted via air pressure. The added “bounce” gives a cushioned support when you sit or stand up which is makes it a friendly design for the elderly or those with minor joint issues. Its height creates a more open angle within the knees and the hips compared to conventional seating furniture which further makes the stool a healthier choice. The designer trio wanted to make furniture that would engage and create a more active sitting process that could be enjoyed by people of all ages and heights. The minimal design and evergreen CMF make it suitable for any interior setting.

Stools like Sano provide an option that is more accessible and inclusive for a wider demographic when used in settings like restaurants or waiting areas. It ‘lifts’ the otherwise mundane experience of sitting down and standing up, we don’t even notice the discomfort till we are presented with a more comfortable solution – that is exactly what a dynamic chair like Sano does!

Designers: Moritz Walter, Minh Pham and Matthias Bronn

sano

 

This multifunctional side table transforms into a chair and make the most of tiny living!

Living in tight city corners is a finicky job– you have to make the most of your space, no matter how small. Studio apartments and tiny living spaces can make it feel difficult to have control over the space because delineating different rooms without overcrowding the place can feel impossible. In designing a chair specifically built for small living spaces in the city, NG Architects created Spring, a multifunctional table that blooms into a chair with a backrest at the push of a button.

Spring comprises a cylindrical shape that increases or decreases in height according to its desired function. At its lowest height of 500mm, Spring serves as a simple side table with a natural wood top. Then, by simply pressing the table down, Spring’s built-in compression springs are activated and morph the side table into a chair with a backrest. By following the same pushing tactic, the Spring chair can reach its maximum height of 900mm, transforming into a table that can work as a centerpiece for a small studio space. While the main building material used to construct Spring is oak wood, the furniture’s compression springs are made from aluminum, while natural and white paint colors coat the sides and top of Spring.

Named after the Spring season, the chair’s transformation is reminiscent of a flower blooming. The clever use of built-in compression springs gives double credence to the chair’s name and provides the chair with multifunctionality without having to take up more space. Designed specifically for tiny living spaces, Spring uses modern building practices and classic design principles to create simple, yet multifunctional pieces of furniture that open up to meet your space where it’s already at.

Designer: NG Architects

Inspired by a flower bud, NG Architects built Spring for practical purposes in small living spaces, creating more functionality while not overcrowding the space.

Five aluminum springs hold a clamp lever that morphs Spring into its different forms when activated.

This flat-pack chair is supported by three rounded legs and requires no tools for assembly!

Developing unique, original ideas for chairs can be a tough ask– chairs have been around forever. Still, perhaps due to their rich, eclectic history, chairs supply an endless source of inspiration for designers. Adding his own interpretation to the mix, Yunjae Lee, a Seoul-based product designer has taken to birch plywood and CNC-milling to design and construct a chair with three rounded legs, requiring no additional tools or hardware for assembly.

Before assembly, Yunjae Lee’s Tri-Round Chair breaks down to eleven separate pieces– reminiscent of IKEA projects. From the looks of it, the eleven pieces of Tri-Round Chair have been CNC-milled to fit into one another like a 3D puzzle. The chair’s center support structure is comprised of two wooden pieces that rest on the ground, providing stability for the chair from the ground up. One longer beam intersects and runs perpendicular to those two boards to connect additional support side legs that cradle the chair’s main seat and backrest. The complex interlocking formation of the Tri-Round Chair ensures stability and a solid structure.

Tri-Round Chair is built from birch plywood that measures 18mm in width. By using thick pieces of plywood, Yunjae Lee was able to create a chair with rounded legs that can support the chair’s weight without any bending or the use of additional hardware. Through innovative, original design, each piece of Tri-Round Chair seamlessly connects with one another to form a finished product that feels familiar while giving the traditional four-legged chair new energy, and one less leg.

Designer: Yunjae Lee

By joining each separate component together, Tri-Round Chair finds support through a complex interlocking building method.

Symmetrical and round by design, Tri-Round Chair comprises eleven separate pieces of birch plywood.

Through interlocking and overlaid assembly, Tri-Round Chair is stable enough to carry weight.

Yunjae Lee painted Tri-Round Chair a darker shade of brown, a sophisticated new look compared to natural plywood.

Before assembly, Tri-Round Chair can be seen as eleven separate pieces, echoing what might appear as a project from IKEA.

This foldable, space-saving Herman Miller-inspired office chair is the 2021 wfh investment you need!

This Sayl concept chair by Charley takes into account the larger shift in our habits as homes have become hybrid offices and our flexible lifestyle (psst! He also keeps in mind the hours we spend as gamers or serial binge-watchers).

Now more than ever we demand more from the spaces we live in, our homes are now our workplaces, our workout spaces, and also the places we socialize and relax – the pieces of furniture we choose have to be optimized for our space and be more compact without sacrificing on the functionalities or luxuries in the case of a high-end furniture design brand like Herman Miller. We need chairs that can allow us to do more and this Sayl chair lets you maximize your space whether you are working, playing games at your desk, or chilling in a VR universe. The aesthetics of the design uses muted greys to blend into every home interior design with orange accents in the chair that call to attention pivotal touchpoints, making the design as intuitive as possible. Simply push the foot pedal mechanism to collapse the chair’s design, making it an easy-to-store, space-saving solution we all need!

Furniture design has seen a shift since the pandemic and brands are pivoting towards making pieces that are modular, flexible, multifunctional, and above all, space-savers!

Designer: Charley Bircumshaw

5 years in the making, this chair is produced in a single mold, reduces waste & saves space!

Chairs are one of the most common projects given to design students because it takes a lot of creativity to turn an everyday mundane object that has already been redesigned a million times into something innovative – it is the design world’s equivalent of “How will you sell me this regular pen?” Designers Martinelli Venezia and Alessandro Stabile discussed the idea of a chair that represents the contemporary world, in terms of production technology, sales methods, and features. The chair had to be an iconic, democratic product, meant to be sold online, and explored the theme of hyper-seriality.

Chair 1:1 was born after a rigorous five-year design process. Venezia and Stabile had finally achieved their goal and created a mountable/demountable chair whose every piece was molded in one go. This optimized the mold size, speeded up production, and reduced waste drastically when compared to a traditional chair. “The chair is sold just as it comes out of the mold, bypassing several steps; it will be the buyer who will complete the process: this is what we call hyper-seriality,” says the designer duo. “When looking at the Chair 1:1, it is inevitable to have a blast from the past, remembering the boxed toy kits. As in that case, there are no screws nor bolts: assembly is effortless and immediate. Mounting an object makes a bond with it and makes you feel its full value; it builds an affection that stops you from getting rid of it.”

The fastening elements of the individual parts are made to be easily producible and extremely resistant. It has been designed to be easily stored, shipped, and transported – 26 boxed up chairs take up only 1 square meter which is the key to increasing online sales as well as shipping sustainably! “While designing, we have often wondered whether in a world saturated with products, it was right to work in the direction of hyper-seriality with a material such as plastic. We believe, however, that the real mistake is to combine it with other materials that make it hard to recycle as well as to use it for packaging or in disposable products,” explain Venezia and Stabile. A sustainable product also has a long lifespan which reduces the need to replacement and therefore reduces excessive consumption as well as production waste which is why Chair 1:1  is made with single-material.

Designers: Martinelli Venezia and Alessandro Stabile

chair1

This sustainably designed chair pushes for the circular economy model in design!

Green Pea is Italy’s first green retail park and to celebrate its inauguration, designer Cristina Celestina created Calatea Green – a chair made to follow the circular economy model! Calatea Green was born from the company’s original piece, Calatea chair which was given a sustainable design refresh.

Calatea Green uses eco-friendly materials and organic aesthetics to fit in the Green Pea retail park. In fact, Celestina reinvented each element of the original Calatea chair’s design after becoming aware of the impact it had on the environment. The green chair’s padding is crafted from recycled PET fabric which is sourced from water bottles – it is both recyclable and compostable. For the legs, Celestina has used FSC-certified ash wood which was sourced from responsibly managed forests with controlled logging. The upholstery fabric on the outside is made of open-end cotton yarn that comes from 100% recycled material certified according to the Global Recycled Standard. Isn’t it interesting how the same chair from the brand could be completely turned into a sustainable version?

To keep the aesthetics aligned with the sustainable values, the original chair’s tropical “Calathea” plants have been replaced with a new design that is hand-painted with non-toxic, water-based ink. This decoration is a tribute to Celestino’s home in Friuli Venezia Giulia, an Italian region bordered by the Julian Alps mountain range known for the native alder tree. Calatea Green reflects Pianca’s eco-friendly model, the studio has had a long-standing tradition of using raw wood from sustainably certified forests and also uses 90% recycled packaging. Additionally, they also rely on a photovoltaic system that meets the total energy demand of production.

Designer: Cristina Celestino and Pianca