Eco-Friendly Furniture

Design in accordance with the circular economy, as in Mixu, conceived by Arper in collaboration with Gensler: a collection of customizable chairs and stools that can be delivered disassembled to reduce their volume, to limit the environmental impact of their transfer, and that can be dismantled at the end of their life span to facilitate the responsible disposal of materials.

"Sustainability means implementing new models and behaviours that respect the delicate balance of the planet and its vital resources," says Arper President Claudio Feltrin. A commitment to nature that culminates in the 2021 novelties such as Kata, designed by Altherr Désile Park, made of FSC certified wood, upholstery made from post-consumer polyester fibre, water-based paintings, whose parts can all be disassembled, recycled or reused.

Cassina has created Cassina LAB, the outcome of the collaboration between the Cassina Research and Development Centre and Poli.design from the Polytechnic of Milan, and it is developing sustainable materials and wellness functions, making the home experience ever more comfortable and conscious. An example? Soriana, the icon designed in 1969 by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, presented now in a sustainable version: the original polyurethane structure has been completely replaced by a series of bags filled with BioFoam microspheres, the first patented foam with an organic base consisting of biopolymers obtained from natural resources.

A sofa is meant to last a long time. But the companies propose furniture concepts conceived for the future generations, to be completely disassembled, without the use of glue, to facilitate the recycling and the recuperation of each part at the end of its life span, such as in the modules of the Costume sofa, designed by Stefan Diez for Magis, that can be disassembled, cleaned and repaired by the users.

There are some brands, such as Nardi, that recover old garden furniture pieces made of plastic and regenerate them to create new products, such as the Sipario outdoor partition with a self-watering planter by Raffaello Galiotto. The industrial programme is called Regeneration, and involves the recovery of plastic furnishings at the end of their life span.

Natuzzi Italia collaborates with an exceptional partner, the Dutch textile innovation studio Byborre, to create Water, the new collection of fabrics made of recycled polyester obtained from post-consumer plastic bottles collected in Northern Italy. the upholstery customizes the new sofas, such as Infinito by Marcantonio and Buddy by Mario Lipparini.

Tip Ton Re, Edward Barber&Jay Osgerby's plastic chair produced with Vitra, comes from the recycling of household waste in Germany. To increase its stability, the recycled material is blended with a minimum amount of glass fibre, but this is the only addition, the grey colour is obtained from recycled plastic.

Among the "thinking green" companies that make a real mission out of the sustainable revolution there is Pedrali with Recycled grey, the first chair made of 100% recycled plastic, a material consisting of 50% post-consumer plastic waste and 50% industrial plastic waste. Post-consumer plastic waste is derived from products previously used by consumers, such as plastic bottles or food packaging, collected door-to-door. The industrial ones, on the other hand, come from industrial processes, such as plastic waste, containers and plastic films.

Reduce waste, both in design and nutrition. This is the message expressed by Design for Soul, the tables by Piero Lissoni for Salvatori to support Food for Soul, a non-profit organization founded by chef Massimo Bottura and his wife Laura Gilmore. The marble tables, recuperated from production waste, are inspired by the values of the association that fights against food waste and social vulnerability, providing support to communities through the promotion of a more just and responsible food consumption.