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Edra, Sherazade, design by Francesco Binfaré
- Ph. Alessandro Moggi
The new frontiers of sustainable design
All the design innovations from increasingly cutting-edge research for the protection of the planet. A selection of products presented at the Salone del Mobile.Milano 2024
Edra, Sherazade, design by Francesco Binfaré
- Ph. Alessandro Moggi
We have been hearing about sustainable design for some time now, and not just in the world of design. At first – useless to deny it – for some brands it was little more than “greenwashing”, a pretense of eco-friendliness or environmentalism. It seems that it was the American environmentalist Jay Westerveld who coined the neologism in 1986 to stigmatize the practice of some hotel chains, a method later called “eco-pornography” by advertising expert Jerry Mander.
Today the situation has clearly changed. Many, nearly all, companies and designers have been progressively increasing research and interest in sustainability, so much so that the most advanced design no longer disregards issues such as: use of recycled and recyclable materials; quality and durability content for products that, having a longer life, pollute less when they are disposed of; zero-impact and circular production cycles; use of biomimicry, a discipline that studies and imitates the biological and biomechanical processes of nature and living beings as a source of inspiration for improving human activities and technologies.
After all, consumers are increasingly well informed and aware, due largely to digital information, so much so that they are basing their purchases on green contents. The creation of green policies is part of the action programs ratified by 193 UN countries. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is an action program consisting of 17 macro goals, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to be achieved in the environmental, economic, social and institutional fields by 2030.
Sustainable design:
a selection of products presented at the Salone del Mobile.Milano 2024
Glas Italia
Glas ltalia, Babar, design by Patricia Urquiola
- Ph. Andrea Mariani
Patricia Urquiola is a pioneer of green research. She has designed the collection of high and low tables and a console for Glas Italia, made from a special conglomerate of 100% recycled glass grit and shards. Each piece, handmade, features variable surfaces and geometries that create an organic appearance. The legs can be easily assembled and dismantled by a system of metal plates. The tables come in five different colors, always slightly variable and individual: ice, jade, clay, honey and lavender.
Molteni&C
Molteni&C, Augusto,
design by Vincent Van Duysen
- Ph. Saverio Lombardi Vallauri
Designed for maximum comfort, the Augusto sofa by Belgian designer Vincent Van Duysen for Molteni&C features high-density foam padding and soft seat cushions made from recycled polyester PET fiber. The base, characterized by an elegant metal frame adorned with refined profiles and aluminum feet with non-slip tips, ensures stability and durability over time, in keeping with the eco-conscious ethics of the brand.
Connubia
Connubia, Abby
With its “I am green” program, Connubia is committed in a precise and measurable way to preserving the planet for future generations, in harmony with the principles of the UN 2030 agenda. The brand structures and organizes its business activities on two fronts: that of the Product, creating green furniture, made from natural and recycled materials and thinking in terms of circularity, and the Company system, for a sustainable approach to the development, production and distribution of its products. With this in mind, Connubia offers the Abby chair in a contemporary material, 100% recycled polypropylene.
MDF ltalia
MDF ltalia, Array, design by Snghetta
- Ph. Andrea Mariani
MDF Italia revolutionizes the concept of the sofa with the new Array designed by Snøhetta, with the purpose of reducing the environmental impact, while ensuring customized solutions for the home and simplifying the logistics. Array is made up of small modules that can generate a variety of configurations, are easy to transport, and can be rapidly dismantled and reassembled for replacement or recycling. The sturdy injection-molded base made of recycled plastic leaves a hollow core inside, minimizing the use of the material. The bio-foam of the seat and backrest is molded to maximize comfort while the textile cover is also available in recycled polyester.
S-CAB
S·CAB, Mentha, design by Archirivolto
- Ph. Ruggiero Scardigno
The Mentha chairs, the result of Archivolto's first collaboration with S-CAB, evoke the world of nature with a marked concern for their ecological impact through the use of certified recycled plastic, a material that is now increasingly advanced and used by the company. The Mentha collection includes a broad range of chairs for various uses, in public and private spaces, from residential to hospitality as well as catering. The polypropylene shell comes in 6 color variants, with and without padding, and is mounted on different types of frame.
Gallotti&Radice
Gallotti&Radice, Re-Verre Table
Equally green, Gallotti&Radice makes a precise choice by presenting the single-material Re-Verre table in recycled glass in the colors beige sable or gray roche. The craftsmanship and manual workmanship make each piece unique: the measurements are indicative and the surface may be porous and not completely level.
Pedrali
Pedrali, Rizz, design by Robin Rizzini
- Ph. Ruggiero Scardigno
Rizz, designed by Robin Rizzini for Pedrali, is a table made of aluminum: a recycled, tough material that ensures the product has a long life. In addition, the table is designed to be dismantled, allowing the correct recycling of the material at the end of its useful life. Rectangular or square tops are available, with rounded or radial corners, and they can be customized in different finishes.
Roca
Roca, Tura, design by Andreu Carulla
- Ph. Alessandro Russotti
The Tura collection, designed by Andreu Carulla for Roca, is a return to the essence of the past reinvented for the present: an interplay of voids and volumes, light and shade, that recalls the style of the architects of Barcelona in the twentieth century. Consisting of washbasins, furnishings, accessories, bathtubs, toilets and bidets, the collection embodies highly sustainable contents: long-lasting 100% natural ceramic materials, recycled outdoor fabrics for the cushions, felt containers with lids made from recycled cork, and FSC-certified wood for the furnishings and trays.
Riva 1920
Riva 1920, Torrewood for Suber
Riva 1920 also focuses on materials: Torrewwod for Suber is a stool created by the encounter between two materials: a solid wooden seat with glued strips with beveled edges and a conical frame in CORE, cork from recycled corks mixed with natural glues.
Edra
Edra, Every Place
Finally, “Every Place” is the new collection of fabrics presented by Edra, made from a yarn produced by recovering 100% PET plastic bottles and used to upholster the models On the Rocks, Sherazade and Standard, interpreted in an outdoor version. In terms of performance, this upholstery guarantees durability, combined with the special internal structures of the models, built out of a breathable anti-mold material. The color options are defined during the production phase – the extrusion of the yarn – and ensure the highest level of lightfastness in sunshine. The tactile sensation is variable, three-dimensional and soft. The subsequent phases of processing first make the fiber and then the fabric fireproof, while being ideal for all wet areas.
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