08 October 2007

WASTE, Our Recycled Pouf



We already wrote about options for eco-friendly chairs but one of our seats is special. He’s very comfy, good-looking, from Barcelona, recycled and ethically produced. His name is WASTE; he’s made from waste deriving from the car textile industry. He’s a beanbag (or pouf).

So what’s so eco about these? Well, they are made from discarded automotive upholstery. Benjamin Mordoh, the designer behind these luxury poufs, is shocked about how much car textile ends up in landfill, and decided to save some by turning them into furniture. He admits “ideally, no waste would be produced, but as it is, we are committed to transforming the reality of waste into something positive”. The durability and high quality of his final products certainly saves them from being chucked out too soon. Because the material is hard wearing, fire- and UV-resistant, these beanbags are quite popular in chill-out bars and around swimming pools.

But not only is the material eco-friendly, the production is too. First of all, they are produced locally here in Barcelona (not China), which saves a lot of transportation emission, packaging, eliminates the risk of unfair trade and boost the local economy. Because all beanbags are hand-made, each one is unique. Furthermore, Mordoh works with a tailoring workshop dedicated to women’s social reintegration.

And are they comfortable? –oh yeah!

Read more about WASTE on TreeHugger and on the WASTE web site, from where you can order them. There are plenty of pictures too.

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