Upcycled: Gray Pants

I am completely enamored by graypants.   No, this is not a post about a wardrobe staple, but about a conceptual design studio.  Gray Pants was founded in 2008 with team members in Seattle and Amsterdam.  Their design philosophy is to create responsible, whether it's furniture or architecture.

Watch the bio: 

Dumpster diving has never looked more appealing.

Here are a couple of gray pants creations to pique your interest.

scraplights, made from salvaged pieces of corrugated cardboard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the slice chair transforms flat sheets of plywood into simple geometric forms that redefine seating. by creating a series of slices, the ottoman glides between the chair’s profiles allowing it to shift into a lounge chair. the ottoman can be completely removed and rotated for use as a magazine

Watch them build the slice chair:

ScrapLights are available for purchase here and range from $179 - $1,400.  The StepLight and Slice Chair are also available for purchase.

I look forward to seeing more of their up-cycled creations!

Not until I have my coffee....

In the spring and summer, I take my used coffee grounds and fertilize my plants with it.  I've never looked at them and thought, hmmm, if I melt down my creamer container & add some coffee grinds, I could make a cool countertop material. 

But the fellas @Re-worked did.  Reworked developed Curface, a 99% post-consumer recycled surfacing material composed of recycled coffee grounds and post-consumer plastic waste. Coffee ground waste from office, cafes and factories across the United Kingdom are gathered, cleaned and sterilized before being mixed and turned into sheet goods.

Here are the details on the material:

• Standard sheet size is 2000mm by 1000mm (6.5' x 3.25') and available in 5 (.19"), 12 (.47"), 18 (.70") and 25mm (.98") thicknesses. 
• Curface is comparable to composite wood boards, most woodwork tools can be used. (I'd verify the specific tools with the manufacturer before cutting.)  
• Sheets have a matte pressed finish and should require no additional finishing. (No lacquer, no stains, no sealants = no added VOCs!)
• Scratches can be sanded out with fine grit sand paper. 
• Clean with a mild detergent and warm water, do not use any solvent cleaners.
• Curface an not be exposed to excessive heat or boiling water. This will cause the material to melt and burn.
• Visit this link to see the potential color range
• Custom colors available for large orders

Curface is brand spanking new. It was officially launched March 2010 at EcoBuild in London and they are currently working on a coffee shop installation in Milan. I'm jealous. Europe always has the coolest products.  All I can do is sit back and wait for Curface to come to the US.  I hope it will be approved for use in commercial applications.

Here are some images of Curface chairs Reworked has created with designer Nick Rawcliffe. The ash wood used for the legs and back came from an Ash tree that was cut down back 2005.  I have no idea how much it costs, but Adam and Nick will sign the first 50 chairs sold. And look, they made cute little bears from the left over Ash wood ( I want one!)

For more information:

info@re-worked.co.uk

Re-worked

http://re-worked.blogspot.com/

I wonder how many cupppa joes it takes to make a 4x8 sheet. And I wonder if you could do the same thing with tea leaves....

Material Petting Zoos & Third Party Green Product Certifiers

A few months ago I discovered a budding resource for sustainable materials, Ecolect. Initially, I was drawn to their site because of an article about a Materials Petting Zoo. I thought it was a clever idea and it showed that Ecolect understood their target audience. Whenever we get new products in the office, everyone wants to touch it, bend it, smell it, and sometimes- see if we can break it.


Ecolect's goal is to help designers, architects, and builders source environmentally friendly construction materials. Their online material library includes roof decking, insulation, textiles and flooring. At post, there were only three pages of materials. (I have a larger collection of products in my personal stash- but I look forward to watching this resource grow.)