This week I headed to London for the launch of a pioneering new product that has circularity at its core, the Mat chair by Normann Copenhagen.
Born from a desire to revolutionise both conventional furniture production and consumer thinking, the collection comprises of eight different product variations, as well as offering front or full upholstery options too.
Made using some of the strongest, and most CO2 absorbing natural fibres available, hemp and eelgrass (a type of seaweed) this innovative collection is the brainchild of Copenhagen-based studio Foersom & Hiort-Lorenzen.
Decades in the making, it was back in the late 1990s that this acclaimed design duo first became interested in using plant fibres as a substitute for plastic in their furniture. Undertaking years of research and refinement, they then began trialling the use of hemp in 2008, and since then, and now working in collaboration with Normann Copenhagen along with specialists from the Danish Technological Institute, the final materials used in Mat are at the very essence of the design; hence the name.
Cleverly crafted from milled hemp stems that are a waste product from food and pharmaceutical production, and eelgrass which is naturally washed ashore on the island of Læsø, it is these fibres when mixed with a fully recyclable binder, that gives every chair its unique appearance.
Sheets of hemp, with its light tone similar to oak, or eelgrass which has a muted brown shade, are then compressed into chair shells before being expertly cut to size, hand-sanded and oiled using a VOC-free linseed oil, before being mounted onto their powder-coated steel legs.
Strong, comfortable, and designed for disassembly and recycling at the end of its use, every Mat chair can then be turned into new products, ensuring a fully circular life cycle.
Challenging conventional thinking through the power of great design Normann Copenhagen’s Mat collection illustrates how small steps can lead to significant changes, and hopefully will inspire each and every one of us to think greener when choosing a forever piece of furniture for our home.
Thanks again to Normann Copenhagen for the invitation to such an inspirational event.
To find out more about the Mat collection, visit the Normann Copenhagen website.
Images 1-4 and 8-9 by Nicola Capper, the remainder are courtesy of Normann Copenhagen.
Enjoyed reading this post? Then come with me on a tour of Hotel Normann.
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