News: Feb 04, 2019
In collaboration with two Swedish companies, students at HDK have explored the possibilities of creating furniture from recycled textiles. The project "Searching for circles" is now on display at the Stockholm Furniture Fair 5-9 February.
The starting point of the collaboration was to let the second-year students in the Bachelor’s programme Wood Oriented Furniture Design explore the possibilities of acting as a furniture designer within a circular economy.
– A design education needs to explore concepts such as sustainability and circular economy. The students test and examine what it can imply in practice, and at the same time they grow as designers, says Rasmus Malbert, Programme Director.
At the Loop Factory, based on the West coast of Sweden, recycled clothes are torn apart, mixed with polyester fibres and pressed into a new textile fibre material, which the company contributed to the project. Rasmus Malbert had previously contacted The Loop Factory, which also involved Wargön Innovation and National in Högsäter in the project.
The students have visited Wargön Innovation in Vänersborg where they made their selection of clothes to compose the specific colours of the new material. At the National in Högsäter, the material was then moulded according to the students' furniture designs.
The students' assignment was to design furniture and create prototypes that will show the posibilities of the new material in combination with wood. 8 students are now presenting their projects at the Furniture Fair in Stockholm.
Among the projects: Alma-Qlara Markbo's shelf Kläm which combines moulded veneers with the textile fibre material. The parts can be combined in different variations and the shelf can be mounted and picked apart without any special tools. An example of how a piece of furniture can be circular.
- The company Formfräsning in Ed has contributed with the actual pressing tools, says Rasmus Malbert. For us, it is of incredibly valuable to be able to cooperate with local companies - it would not have been possible if we were not situated in Dals Långed in Dalsland. The companies have been very involved in this project, which is very positive!
Seminar "Design for circularity - educational and industrial perspectives"
Wednesday 6 February at 10.30 a seminar will be given at the Greenhouse Stage where students, teachers and the participating companies The Loop Factory, National Högsäter and Wargön Innovation present the project: purpose, challenges and opportunities.
AlmaQlara Markbo
Anna Roth
Emil Stennabb
Isak Krantz
Kajsa Malmberg
Oscar Malmberg
Oskar Gustavsson
Solbi Park
www.hdk.gu.se/searchingforcircles
The project Searching for circles is exhibited at the Stockholm Furniture Fair 5-9 February 2019, in stand C14: 41.
More information about Stockholm Furniture Fair: stockholmfurniturelightfair.se
The education Wood Oriented Furniture Design is a three-year Bachelor’s programme at HDK - Academy of Design and Crafts. The education is located at Steneby, a meeting place for education and culture.
Originally published on: hdk.gu.se
