From chairs built with mushroom mycelium and vegan leather sofas to fabrics originating from seaweed, unexpected materials have been slowly making inroads into our homes.
With the industry under pressure to become more sustainable, designers and manufacturers have turned to out-of-the-box alternatives to make products that have a circular lifespan (ie. furniture or other household items that can be re-used, composted and ultimately do not become garbage).
The market for circular home and living will reach up to €45 billion in 2030 (around $51 billion), driven by sustainably produced furniture and home goods containing sustainable materials, according to McKinsey & Company, a management consulting firm.
Earlier in the year, at Milan Design Week — a global event where new products are unveiled and trends are established — circularity and material innovation emerged as central themes.
Design firm Particle, which has studios in New York and Los Angeles, debuted “Parts of a Whole,” a collection of sculptural, Bauhaus-inspired dining room furniture made from repurposed textiles and denim, as well as a tablescape featuring 3D-printed candle holders and rubber accessories crafted from repurposed sneaker soles.
