Sustainability Isn’t Just Talk at the Stockholm Furniture Fair
Manufacturers embrace environmentally friendly design at the 2019 Scandinavian event
People have been talking about sustainability in Scandinavian design for a few years, and natural wood and simplicity are hallmarks of Nordic design. Now all this talk may be turning into action. At the 2019 Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair, manufacturers — which, after all, need to sell new products and make a profit — seemed to be taking a big step into this new world. Here’s how they’re doing it.
Mirror by Front for Swedese
Swedese also has discovered the beauty of scrap wood, which it previously used to heat the factory. The Swedish company gave last year’s bowl-like mirror made of discarded wood a shallower frame.
Swedese also has discovered the beauty of scrap wood, which it previously used to heat the factory. The Swedish company gave last year’s bowl-like mirror made of discarded wood a shallower frame.
Innovating With Natural Materials
A remarkable new sustainable product appeared in the fair’s Greenhouse area, where up-and-coming designers and design schools get the opportunity to showcase their prototypes. Young Danish designer Nikolaj Thrane Carlsen and his manufacturing company, TangForm (SeaweedShape), presented this Coastal Furniture chair, whose seat is made out of two kinds of seaweed. The legs are made out of recycled bamboo flooring, and the chair is assembled using only four sets of screws and brackets.
“I simply wanted to create an environmentally friendly alternative to today’s furniture industry, where most products are made of wood, metal and plastic, and where only very little is recycled,” Thrane Carlsen says. He found inspiration on the small Danish island of Læsø, where the eelgrass along the coast traditionally has been used for roofs. The fact that some of these roofs have lasted for more than 300 years points to the material’s sustainability.
A remarkable new sustainable product appeared in the fair’s Greenhouse area, where up-and-coming designers and design schools get the opportunity to showcase their prototypes. Young Danish designer Nikolaj Thrane Carlsen and his manufacturing company, TangForm (SeaweedShape), presented this Coastal Furniture chair, whose seat is made out of two kinds of seaweed. The legs are made out of recycled bamboo flooring, and the chair is assembled using only four sets of screws and brackets.
“I simply wanted to create an environmentally friendly alternative to today’s furniture industry, where most products are made of wood, metal and plastic, and where only very little is recycled,” Thrane Carlsen says. He found inspiration on the small Danish island of Læsø, where the eelgrass along the coast traditionally has been used for roofs. The fact that some of these roofs have lasted for more than 300 years points to the material’s sustainability.
To make the seaweed firm and durable, Thrane Carlsen experimented with different glues until he came up with the idea of using carrageenan, an extract from edible red seaweeds, which is widely used in the food industry for thickening and stabilizing food.
“By mixing carrageenan powder with water, then adding eelgrass, I ended up with a seaweed dough,” he says. After shaping it by hand and leaving it in an oven on low heat for two days, the material turned into the strong and firm chair seat. “And, no, after the long drying process, the design does not smell of seaweed,” says Thrane Carlsen with a smile.
“By mixing carrageenan powder with water, then adding eelgrass, I ended up with a seaweed dough,” he says. After shaping it by hand and leaving it in an oven on low heat for two days, the material turned into the strong and firm chair seat. “And, no, after the long drying process, the design does not smell of seaweed,” says Thrane Carlsen with a smile.
He invented the material and created the chair as his graduation project — a materials study — for The Royal Danish Academy’s School of Architecture in Copenhagen. The Greenhouse jury named it Best Performance 2019.
Thrane Carlsen hopes that his chair — along with a lamp, a bar stool and a side table in the same seaweed material — is just the beginning of a sustainable adventure in the design industry. “So far, my main focus has been on the material, so there are still endless opportunities to explore when it comes to designing and shaping furniture,” he says.
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Thrane Carlsen hopes that his chair — along with a lamp, a bar stool and a side table in the same seaweed material — is just the beginning of a sustainable adventure in the design industry. “So far, my main focus has been on the material, so there are still endless opportunities to explore when it comes to designing and shaping furniture,” he says.
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Another statement for sustainability comes from Baux, which gives materials that are usually confined to hardware store shelves a high level of design sensibility. The Swedish firm built its eye-catching stand out of its sound-absorbing Acoustic Pulp panels, which are produced from 100 percent organic materials. That British fashion designer and sustainability champion Stella McCartney uses Baux materials in her shops is a feather in their cap.
Baux created the interior panels in partnership with the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. They’re made mainly from wood pulp dyed with wheat bran.
“When it became clear that we could organically mimic nature’s own characteristics, like the fire-retardancy properties of grass roots, the water repellency of lotus flowers or the strength of the catalytic combination of potatoes, plant wax and citrus fruits, we knew we were on to something revolutionary,” says founding partner Fredrik Franzon.
“When it became clear that we could organically mimic nature’s own characteristics, like the fire-retardancy properties of grass roots, the water repellency of lotus flowers or the strength of the catalytic combination of potatoes, plant wax and citrus fruits, we knew we were on to something revolutionary,” says founding partner Fredrik Franzon.
Recycling Plastic
With the increased focus on the world’s consumption — and waste — of plastic, you may wonder: Can’t we reuse plastic in furniture production? Danish design house Houe says yes with its Falk chair, which the company says is the world’s first chair made of post-consumer plastic. Designed by Danish designer Thomas Pedersen, this chair is produced in Randers, Denmark, from plastic recycled directly from Danish household waste in the area.
Despite this emphasis on sustainability, it was crucial for Houe that the chair didn’t look recycled. “The design is not affected by the fact that it is made from recycled plastic, and we did not want to make a single design compromise for the sake of the recycled material. We wanted to make a chair that is just as beautiful as any other, nonsustainable, chair,” says founder Lars Houe.
With the increased focus on the world’s consumption — and waste — of plastic, you may wonder: Can’t we reuse plastic in furniture production? Danish design house Houe says yes with its Falk chair, which the company says is the world’s first chair made of post-consumer plastic. Designed by Danish designer Thomas Pedersen, this chair is produced in Randers, Denmark, from plastic recycled directly from Danish household waste in the area.
Despite this emphasis on sustainability, it was crucial for Houe that the chair didn’t look recycled. “The design is not affected by the fact that it is made from recycled plastic, and we did not want to make a single design compromise for the sake of the recycled material. We wanted to make a chair that is just as beautiful as any other, nonsustainable, chair,” says founder Lars Houe.
Heymat+ doormat by Kristine Five Melvær for Heymat
Norwegian company Heymat found another innovative use for recycled plastic. It recently launched Heymat+, a line of doormats whose pile surface is made from 100 percent recycled plastic bottles. The mats get additional sustainability points because they’re designed to last for decades.
Norwegian company Heymat found another innovative use for recycled plastic. It recently launched Heymat+, a line of doormats whose pile surface is made from 100 percent recycled plastic bottles. The mats get additional sustainability points because they’re designed to last for decades.
Tumblers from the Raami collection by Jasper Morrison for Iittala
Practicing ‘Anti-Design’
Designing something to be so timeless and functional that there is no need to replace it is a different way of thinking about sustainably — maybe it could be called “anti-design.” British designer Jasper Morrison’s collaboration with Iittala could fall into this category. His new series of tableware, Raami, is deceptively simple. The teapots, plates, bowls, wineglasses and tumblers take on iconic forms that a child might draw.
Practicing ‘Anti-Design’
Designing something to be so timeless and functional that there is no need to replace it is a different way of thinking about sustainably — maybe it could be called “anti-design.” British designer Jasper Morrison’s collaboration with Iittala could fall into this category. His new series of tableware, Raami, is deceptively simple. The teapots, plates, bowls, wineglasses and tumblers take on iconic forms that a child might draw.
The NM& exhibition. Photo by Gustaf Kaiser
Going Back to the Past by Building to Last
Looking back to a time when furniture was built and bought for a lifetime is also a path to sustainability and a considerate kind of consumption that the Nordic countries have traditionally emphasized.
One of the biggest commissioners of new products in Sweden in 2018 was the newly renovated National Museum for art and design in Stockholm. The grand 19th-century building was extensively restored, and 20 Nordic manufacturers were commissioned to produce glass, tableware, textiles and furniture for the museum under the supervision of designer Matti Klenell. Some pieces from the NM& collection are now available for purchase.
Going Back to the Past by Building to Last
Looking back to a time when furniture was built and bought for a lifetime is also a path to sustainability and a considerate kind of consumption that the Nordic countries have traditionally emphasized.
One of the biggest commissioners of new products in Sweden in 2018 was the newly renovated National Museum for art and design in Stockholm. The grand 19th-century building was extensively restored, and 20 Nordic manufacturers were commissioned to produce glass, tableware, textiles and furniture for the museum under the supervision of designer Matti Klenell. Some pieces from the NM& collection are now available for purchase.
Chapeau chair, left, by TAF Studios for Offecct; Lilla Skatt highchair by Anna von Schewen and Björn Dahlström for Articles; and Putki light, right, by Matti Klenell for Iittala
One piece stands out from the collection, both for its innovative design and for reflecting the Nordic countries’ love and respect for childhood. The highchair is encircled with a thick ring of luxuriously gold-colored plastic. The food tray resembles a halo that adds a touch of elegance to this functional chair. Designers Anna von Schewen and Björn Dahlström call the chair Lilla Skatt (Little Treasure) since, no matter how many treasures and pieces of art surround a child in the museum, he or she is still the most highly valued.
One piece stands out from the collection, both for its innovative design and for reflecting the Nordic countries’ love and respect for childhood. The highchair is encircled with a thick ring of luxuriously gold-colored plastic. The food tray resembles a halo that adds a touch of elegance to this functional chair. Designers Anna von Schewen and Björn Dahlström call the chair Lilla Skatt (Little Treasure) since, no matter how many treasures and pieces of art surround a child in the museum, he or she is still the most highly valued.
Botero chair by Matti Klenell and Peter Andersson for Källemo
Creating furniture for a public space with a long design heritage, along with mixing classic looks and modernity, is no small feat. But the Botero chair by Matti Klenell and Peter Andersson for Källemo does all these things. The soft leather-upholstered back makes you want to linger, the wooden frame wouldn’t look out of place in a 19th-century Nordic kitchen, and the sweeping back takes you to a Victorian living room.
Creating furniture for a public space with a long design heritage, along with mixing classic looks and modernity, is no small feat. But the Botero chair by Matti Klenell and Peter Andersson for Källemo does all these things. The soft leather-upholstered back makes you want to linger, the wooden frame wouldn’t look out of place in a 19th-century Nordic kitchen, and the sweeping back takes you to a Victorian living room.
Valborg light by Anna Berglund for BSweden
The Victorian period returns in Anna Berglund’s grandiose light for BSweden. Named Valborg after the designer’s grandmother, the light draws on the colors and forms of a Victorian parlor but goes contemporary with the extended LED lightbulb and simplified shape.
The Victorian period returns in Anna Berglund’s grandiose light for BSweden. Named Valborg after the designer’s grandmother, the light draws on the colors and forms of a Victorian parlor but goes contemporary with the extended LED lightbulb and simplified shape.
Celebrating Japanordic
Another big theme at this year’s fair — Japanordic, the happy marriage between Japanese and Nordic design — also gets at the roots of the sustainable movement. Both Scandinavian and Japanese design have always prized craftsmanship, natural materials and a minimalist approach, as well as the imperfect and changing object: long-lasting design that matures and acquires patina over time.
In the Design Bar, Norway’s Anderssen & Voll created an oasis of calm within the busy fair, with a courtyard restaurant and a peaceful meeting place full of trees and light-colored, sustainable wood.
Another big theme at this year’s fair — Japanordic, the happy marriage between Japanese and Nordic design — also gets at the roots of the sustainable movement. Both Scandinavian and Japanese design have always prized craftsmanship, natural materials and a minimalist approach, as well as the imperfect and changing object: long-lasting design that matures and acquires patina over time.
In the Design Bar, Norway’s Anderssen & Voll created an oasis of calm within the busy fair, with a courtyard restaurant and a peaceful meeting place full of trees and light-colored, sustainable wood.
Atelier chair by TAF Studio for Artek, designed for the National Museum
The Japanordic influence can be seen in the products of many manufacturers, such as Carl Hansen or Design House Stockholm, with strict grids, black details and pieces that are so pared-back, they almost don’t look designed. Craft is, as always, the focus for Artek, where the joy of the furniture is as much in its silky smooth finish as in its looks.
The Japanordic influence can be seen in the products of many manufacturers, such as Carl Hansen or Design House Stockholm, with strict grids, black details and pieces that are so pared-back, they almost don’t look designed. Craft is, as always, the focus for Artek, where the joy of the furniture is as much in its silky smooth finish as in its looks.
Merging the Trends
The NM& 040 chair represents many of the Nordic furniture trends at the 2019 fair. It is also one of the products for National Museum, but the fretwork gives it a decidedly Eastern look. Designed by Matti Klenell, it is created by the historic Larsson Korgmakare workshop in Stockholm’s Old Town, only a few hundred yards across the water from where it is now used in the museum restaurant. It is locally produced, international in style but with a simple Nordic touch, and made with sustainable materials.
More on Houzz
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The NM& 040 chair represents many of the Nordic furniture trends at the 2019 fair. It is also one of the products for National Museum, but the fretwork gives it a decidedly Eastern look. Designed by Matti Klenell, it is created by the historic Larsson Korgmakare workshop in Stockholm’s Old Town, only a few hundred yards across the water from where it is now used in the museum restaurant. It is locally produced, international in style but with a simple Nordic touch, and made with sustainable materials.
More on Houzz
World of Design: Japanordic, an International Love Affair
Maison & Objet: 7 Color Trends to Watch in 2019
Find a designer for your home project
Shop for home products
Putting Scraps to Good Use
The Swedish company Stolab is known, among other things, for its seminal Lilla Åland chair, designed by Carl Malmsten in 1942. Now a sibling made of Lilla Åland remnants has arrived. The Lilla Snåland stool is composed of 14 pieces of scrap material from the production of the Lilla Åland chair. Now what was once waste is a design icon in its own right.