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Sustainable Ideas to Take from the London Design Festival 2019
Find out how the design industry is using creativity and clever thinking to help make our homes more sustainable
If there was one thing that stood out during this year’s London Design Festival (LDF), it was how creative designers can be when it comes to making beautiful products. Many are looking for alternative materials and methods to help them design high-quality pieces that have minimal impact on the environment.
Discover more trends to steal from the London Design Festival 2019.
Discover more trends to steal from the London Design Festival 2019.
Sustainable wood
Sustainable timber was key for many of the craftspeople displaying their work at the LDF shows. The theme was highlighted by the Victoria & Albert Museum’s Legacy project, for which cultural leaders were asked to commission pieces made from American red oak, a sustainable timber from the US.
The importance of using local timber was also a focus. Devon-based furniture-maker Rodney Lomas, for example, explained how he sources his materials from the UK’s woodlands.
“We buy wood from local foresters, timber merchants or tree surgeons who might otherwise have to discard it or sell it as firewood,” he says. “By creating a market for this wood, we’re hoping to help them resource the maintenance of native forests.”
Sustainable timber was key for many of the craftspeople displaying their work at the LDF shows. The theme was highlighted by the Victoria & Albert Museum’s Legacy project, for which cultural leaders were asked to commission pieces made from American red oak, a sustainable timber from the US.
The importance of using local timber was also a focus. Devon-based furniture-maker Rodney Lomas, for example, explained how he sources his materials from the UK’s woodlands.
“We buy wood from local foresters, timber merchants or tree surgeons who might otherwise have to discard it or sell it as firewood,” he says. “By creating a market for this wood, we’re hoping to help them resource the maintenance of native forests.”
Reimagined plastic
Plastic has understandably gained a bad reputation of late, as tonnes of it end up in landfill or the sea. The throwaway nature of the material is indeed a huge problem, and this theme was highlighted by Sam Jacob’s Sea Things installation at the V&A. A large, animated, mirrored cube was suspended from the ceiling to shine a light on the extent of the problem.
We were reminded throughout the week, though, that plastic can be an extremely practical material – the key for designers is to use it in the right way.
Recycled plastic, for instance, was a focus. At Design Fresh, recent graduate Milo-Tonry Brown explained how he’s using recycled plastic as a joining method for oak furniture (pictured).
Plastic has understandably gained a bad reputation of late, as tonnes of it end up in landfill or the sea. The throwaway nature of the material is indeed a huge problem, and this theme was highlighted by Sam Jacob’s Sea Things installation at the V&A. A large, animated, mirrored cube was suspended from the ceiling to shine a light on the extent of the problem.
We were reminded throughout the week, though, that plastic can be an extremely practical material – the key for designers is to use it in the right way.
Recycled plastic, for instance, was a focus. At Design Fresh, recent graduate Milo-Tonry Brown explained how he’s using recycled plastic as a joining method for oak furniture (pictured).
Restoring and repairing
A key takeaway from the week was how crucial it is to increase the life cycle of the products we use in our homes. At the 100% Design auditorium, one panel discussion focused on the importance of the circular economy. The discussion highlighted the valuable skills of restoration experts who can update old furniture.
“We take a salvaged item and design a space around it,” said Adam Hills of Retrouvius, who spoke about the value of restoring a piece that tells a story.
An example from one of our Houzz Tours can be seen here, where Convert Construction have restored and fitted a garden gate the homeowners had brought over from France.
Find a furniture restoration specialist in your area.
A key takeaway from the week was how crucial it is to increase the life cycle of the products we use in our homes. At the 100% Design auditorium, one panel discussion focused on the importance of the circular economy. The discussion highlighted the valuable skills of restoration experts who can update old furniture.
“We take a salvaged item and design a space around it,” said Adam Hills of Retrouvius, who spoke about the value of restoring a piece that tells a story.
An example from one of our Houzz Tours can be seen here, where Convert Construction have restored and fitted a garden gate the homeowners had brought over from France.
Find a furniture restoration specialist in your area.
Recycle-friendly design
In another panel talk, designer and waste expert Sophie Thomas suggested it’s important to look closely at whether a product can be disassembled and recycled, and think about the life cycle of the material and whether it matches the length of time it will actually be used. She pointed to toothbrushes, which can’t be taken apart and recycled. “Each toothbrush is only used for four months, but its life cycle is 400 years,” she said.
Sustainable flatpack brand Grain (pictured) were exhibiting at the show and the team explained how this idea works with their products. The flatpacked items are designed to be taken apart, so they can either be reassembled or sent back to the firm and recycled.
In another panel talk, designer and waste expert Sophie Thomas suggested it’s important to look closely at whether a product can be disassembled and recycled, and think about the life cycle of the material and whether it matches the length of time it will actually be used. She pointed to toothbrushes, which can’t be taken apart and recycled. “Each toothbrush is only used for four months, but its life cycle is 400 years,” she said.
Sustainable flatpack brand Grain (pictured) were exhibiting at the show and the team explained how this idea works with their products. The flatpacked items are designed to be taken apart, so they can either be reassembled or sent back to the firm and recycled.
Chemical-free materials
As well as sourcing sustainable materials, designers are paying attention to the chemicals they’re using to treat them. The team at Benchmark Furniture, for example, explained how certain materials, such as organic wool, coir, natural latex and recycled denim, have natural fire-retardant qualities, so there’s no need to treat them with toxic chemicals.
Discover more trends from the London Design Festival 2019.
Tell us…
What do you think of these moves towards more sustainable design? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
As well as sourcing sustainable materials, designers are paying attention to the chemicals they’re using to treat them. The team at Benchmark Furniture, for example, explained how certain materials, such as organic wool, coir, natural latex and recycled denim, have natural fire-retardant qualities, so there’s no need to treat them with toxic chemicals.
Discover more trends from the London Design Festival 2019.
Tell us…
What do you think of these moves towards more sustainable design? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
The organisers of London Design Fair in east London’s Brick Lane chose biomaterials as the material of the year, highlighting just how focused the show was on sustainability.
Rowan Minkley and Robert Nicoll from Chip[s] Board displayed the products they make from, you guessed it, potato waste, while Mexican designer Fernando Laposse showcased items fabricated from the husks of endangered heirloom corn.
Emerging talent at the Design Fresh stand at 100% Design included Diana Tso, who displayed biodegradable plant pots created from drift seaweed. And the lamp pictured here, also seen at 100% Design, was made from banana plant fibre by French brand Tedzukuri Atelier.