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Seventeen eco-friendly furniture units made from trash

Recycled Furniture Made from Undesirable Materials

Recycling is a business right now. However, just like every business, there are ways of doing it the right way, and there are ways of doing it the wrong way. Bad recycling firms do recycle whatever you give them, but while doing so they even more damage to the environment. Therefore, it is necessary that you have some information about your recycling firm. However, if it isn’t as sustainable as you want it to be, you can look for another one. In fact, there are plenty of artists too who create eco-friendly furniture out of trash. Finding them out and handing your useful trash to them is always a great idea.

Environmentalism is often related with the gloom and doom prognostications about the planet. Therefore, many of the artists, designers and architects are working creatively on both big and small-scale green projects to benefit the environment and the economy as well. Trash is becoming trendy nowadays. People are converting even the castoffs into art or useful products like furniture instead of crowding the waste streams. Check out some furniture pieces designed from trash after the break.

Seventeen eco-friendly furniture units made from trash

1. Recycled Plastic Bag Chair

All of us use plastic bags every day in various ways, either packaging or as carry bags. After using them, we find them of no further use. Therefore, we just carelessly discard them, without knowing the scathe that it causes to the environment. But the beautiful chair pictured above has given the cast off plastic bags a new meaning and a new life.

Created by Ryan Frank, a London based designer, the ‘Inkuku’ (translated as Zulu for chicken) chair consist of plastic shopping bags. These have a coating of recycled aluminium structure. The recycled materials combine with Africa’s traditional craft techniques to construct this colorful furniture piece. The designer, however, took inspiration from a South African ‘inkuku’ (chicken) sculpture that also utilizes plastic.

2. Inflatable Garbage Chair by Nick Demarco

Nick DeMarco, a student of California College of Arts has designed the XS chair by making use of all sorts of plastic discards like plastic bags and bottles, aluminium cans, unwanted old clothes, old newspapers and all other trashed item found in house. Nick made a clear plastic casing or shell and filled it with these waste objects. He created this garbage inflated plastic chair as a project for sustainable production furniture class. However, it was a part of the exhibition at the ICFF in New York as part of the Sustainable Design For Mass Production. The project was a sensation and the designer got a production deal with Wal-Mart where every piece was on sale for $60.

3. Shredded Paper Furniture

Artist Jens Praet makes environmentally-friendly furniture out of everyday used paper and old newspapers. He collects discarded paper and chops them to shreds. This shredded paper is then immersed in resin and is shaped to fit by as desired. Every furniture item made in this way is as strong as wood, holds the attention of the viewer and not to mention, much more sustainable and green.

The concept of making furniture pieces from waste paper is quite cool actually. The mini desk that is functional and practically strong has inspired the designer to create better furniture products by utilizing the shredded paper. Every piece will add to your home decor and will surely make your identity as an environmentally aware person. Moreover, there are also many other ideas of creatively utilizing shredded paper.

4. Recycled Furniture Made from Undesirable Materials

Furniture designer, Chris Rucker, based in New York City creates astonishing furniture pieces by making use of thrown away trash and waste objects. He implies his construction techniques and skills to make the most out of materials like strand boards, plastic laminates, and bundles of dumped furniture. The furniture pieces were undesired because of their low-quality fabrications, prominent everyday wear and tear, and obsolete designs. Rucker converted these worthless furniture objects into valuable designer chairs, armchairs, coffee tables, etc.

5. Mulch Chair

The beautiful ‘mulch chair’ pictured above is the work of a graduate of the Edinburgh College of Art, Craig Ian McPherson. He re-used the garden waste and created this extraordinary mulch chair. The designer exhibited the thought of the three ‘R’s that is reducing, reusing and recycling in his project . along with the garden trash he also made use of sustainable bonding material and rubber latex to give a comfortable and cushion-like feel. The chair was displayed at The London Design Festival held in 2009, in Earls Court One, London.

6. Furniture Made of Industrial Scraps

A lot of waste is produced by the industries, which is accumulated in landfills. A designer group based in Bangkok’s Kasetsart University’s Architecture program called the Scrap Lab, makes use of this industrial trash. They do so by applying their creative skills, design beautiful furniture. The industrial leftovers like wood, plastics, foam, metals, sawdust etc. are employed to produce elegant furniture decors like table lamps and chairs. The Scrap Lab intends to demonstrate to the world that the trash and discards can be utilized creatively to create functional and charming furniture.

7. Furniture Made From Decommissioned Russian Naval Mines

Mati Karmin, an Estonian sculptor is breathing a new life into decommissioned marine mines by creating functional furniture units out of it. He found Russian AGSB-types decommissioned sea mines at the coast of his homeland. Karmin creates furniture units like desks, chairs, tables, bathtubs, aquariums, LED chandeliers and bar cabinets from old naval mines.

8. Loll Design eco-friendly furniture made from discarded milk jugs 

Loll Design is a firm that specializes in creating furniture out of recycled products. The International Contemporary Furniture Fair of 2010 saw the firm unveiling a range of furniture units made of recycled plastic sourced from used milk jugs. The line up was impressive with colorful and trendy items on display. The cleverly designed units are perfect for the outdoors or patios with their smooth and contemporary style.

9. EFI makes eco-friendly furniture from decrepit architecture

Los Angeles based Environment Furniture Incorporated is another firm that specializes in eco-friendly furniture. It is one of the firms that creates its products from reclaimed wood from old barns and buildings in Brazil, which would otherwise be discarded. Hence, each piece of furniture that you purchase comes with a bit of history. If reclaimed wood isn’t to be found at these sites, then the company claims to source them from Brazil’s countryside in a responsible manner.

10. AC Cobra 427 Furniture

This cool furniture set has been made using the old parts of an AC Cobra 427. The unique design stylizes the ambience of the room and also makes for an interesting conversation topic. No cost has been attached to the unit but it wouldn’t be a surprise if it came with a hefty price tag. We love the glossy look of the design coupled with the black leather seats and the fact that the designer seems to have use of almost all the parts of the Shelby Cobra.

11. Cardboard seating for those in love with Volvo’s backlight

Volvo fans are sure to fall in love with this Volvo backlight inspired cardboard furniture piece. It also won first place in a design award. The set features an integrated ottoman with a side table that can be detached as per your preference. The cleverly designed unit can be used as a showpiece or a functional item though we aren’t sure how durable it will be for the latter.

12. Recycled resin paneled Varia Furniture

French design firms k_now and 3form came together to create an eco-friendly resin paneled furniture collection. The contemporary units comprise an indoor outdoor lounge chair called Pratt with a felt mattress, a hardware free table called Mucci, a space divider called Hari and two chairs named Smith and Otto. The modern furniture units will make a nice addition to studio apartments and other modern abodes.

13. Eco-friendly furniture made from junked aircraft parts 

If you have several thousand dollars to spare and are looking for furniture items not likely to be owned by others, then Giancarlo De Astis’s designs are for you. The LA based designer uses discarded aircraft parts from Arizona’s junkyards and turns them into interesting furniture pieces. Turbines and aircraft wings are just a few of the parts used to design his collection.

14. Shredded documents + molded resin = Fossilized furniture

Shredded paper and molded resin come together to form unique furniture items designed by Jens Praet. The limitedly produced units consist of a bench, side table, console or a shelving unit. The shredded paper is mixed with clear resin, cast into a mold and finished by hand. To ensure durability, the paper is coated with transparent polycarbonate.

15. Clever eco-friendly furniture made from undesirable materials

Chris Rucker is a New York based furniture designer, who picks up consumer trash and transforms them into interesting pieces of furniture. He makes use of construction sheathing and plastic laminates to create units not found in any conventional furniture store. Rucker was inspired to build usable items from discarded products after coming across plenty of discarded furniture every day to and from his place of work.

16. Leftovers’ recycled garment furniture takes you back in time

Get set to travel to the past with these Victoria style furniture pieces crafted out of recycled materials. Designed by a Swedish firm, Design by Leftovers, the units are made from reclaimed fabric to upholster sofas and chairs. What is striking is the use of color that makes it hard to look away from these stunning creations.

17. Giles Miller fluted cardboard furniture

British designer Giles Miller’s fluted cardboard furniture exhibits unique patterns that add interesting dimensions to otherwise dull cardboard. Stylish and eco-friendly, the furniture units consist of chairs and benches that would make for a great addition to any home.

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