HONEST WORK

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IT WAS INSPIRING TO SEE AN HONEST, TRANSPARENT APPROACH BEING TAKEN

ACROSS STOCKHOLM DESIGN WEEK AND FURNITURE FAIR. MULTIPLE BRANDS BROUGHT

‘BEHIND-THE-SCENES’ TO CENTRE STAGE IN THEIR DISPLAYS, CLEARLY PRESENTING PRODUCT CONTENTS, DECLARING CARBON VALUE, AND EVEN PUTTING ON DEMONSTRATIONS SHOWING EXACTLY HOW PIECES WERE MADE.

THE NUDE EDITION, SFF / PATH CHAIR, HUMANSCALE / PATH CHAIR COMPONENTS, HUMANSCALE

Norwegian manufacturer Vestre held a talk on their new factory, dubbed the most sustainable furniture manufacturing facility in the world, and there was a moment of introspection with the fair’s The Nude Edition in partnership with Recoma and Tarkett, exploring a concept for downscaling as a step towards a more sustainable way of designing and building fair stands. Meanwhile, Gärsnäswho are on a mission to be fully circular in their operations by 2030 - invited visitors to discover their new RONJA chair made from locally felled beech trees, designed to be both stackable and linkable for diverse use.

These displays highlighted that the industry is moving in the right direction, prioritising transparent conversation in order to evolve our understanding of sustainability, setting standards and driving tangible change.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

RONJA CHAIR, GÄRSNÄS / SOFT SERVE LAMP, CRÈME ATELIER / EEL LOUNGE, EKBACKEN STUDIOS X ASTRID TEXTILES

There was also a sense of experimental, research-driven innovation, with manufacturers pushing the boundaries of materials and sustainable production on scale through different processes to create unexpected results. We saw impressive advances in 3D printing in particular, through which brands were able to create sophisticated and elevated aesthetics, while reducing material waste.

The Ekbacken Studios x Astrid Textiles 3D printed Eel lounge chair is one such example made from recycled fishing nets in Portugal, where a portion of whose profits go back to Portuguese fishermen adding social sustainability to the manufacturing process.

Crème Atelier’s nostalgic Soft Serve Lamp, winner of Scandinavian Design Awards 2023 “Detail of the year”, was another example of playful experimentations in 3D printing.