These chairs are made with felted wool, aluminum and wood. Eye-catching as they are, at first blush this seems incredibly wasteful:

However, the kicker is that the materials used were all cut-offs, i.e. waste to begin with. A Toronto-based design firm called Stacklab “identified surplus off-cuts and end-of-bolt felted wool that, when stored, occupy significant factory space for these manufacturers,” they write. “[We] designed a computer aided system that makes productive (re)use of the off-cuts and end-of-bolt felt in the form of household furnishings.”

Stacklab then worked with New York gallery space and furniture retailer Maison Gerard, who connected six of their designers with Stacklab’s system, which they call Stackabl [sic]. “Stackabl is an innovative system for designing custom furniture without the waste. Developed closely with regional manufacturers, aided by algorithms and robotics, the system identifies their remnant inventory, puts it back through their own machines, and into the hands of their own experts. By leveraging existing regional resources, it empowers local economies while curbing the carbon footprint.”

“[The collection below was] created in Stackabl, a new, innovative system that turns waste into wonders. Each of the pieces is constructed by regional specialists according to available resources. In response to the colors, dimensions, and finishes selected, layers of high quality felt offcuts are identified by algorithms and cut with the aid of robotics. With no brief to draw from, other than to work within the parameters set by the configurator, the designers were free to realize their own visions, resulting in a striking array of characterful works that belong to both past and future.”

Raki

Corner Chair

By Alexandra Champalimaud | Champalimaud Design

“With a big character and a huge heart, this joyful corner chair is inspired by a dear family pet who brings an abundance of fun and whimsy wherever he goes. Raki is a humorous play on perspectives, offering new forms and conveying movement from every angle; the result of the designer’s fondness for ‘twirling it around’ as a 3D render within the configurator. Embodying the spirit of the process is the contrasting back leg, whose curvy and sturdy form peeks out from underneath layers of graphite and rust, while the seat itself welcomes you with open arms. The resulting design is an intuitive, happy experiment in color, form, and materiality, effortlessly filling a generous interior with life and soul.”

Textile: Remnant Felt

Metal: Post Consumer Scrap Alum., Black anodized

Wood: Maple, Mahogany

Dulces

Dining Chair

By Laura Kirar | Laura Kirar Design

“Since moving to Mexico four years ago, Laura Kirar has radically changed her perspective on color. Her new appreciation for brighter shades comes through in Dulces, which means ‘candies’. Her chosen color configuration is a little something sweet to bring joy and flavor to the dining table. Embracing the geometric forms generated by the configurator, she layered in the material and color according to her typical process. Through ochre finishes and a hot pink accent, she evokes the colors of the local climate and culture, such as the work of the influential architect Luis Barragán, to arrive at a piece that is at once simple and striking enough to sweeten a variety of interiors, and bring its sunny disposition to any dinner party.”

Textile: Remnant Felt

Metal: Post Consumer Scrap Alum., Champagne Anodized

Wood: Maple

Madame

Chaise Lounge

By Jamie Drake and Caleb Anderson | Drake/Anderson

“Named after Madame Récamier, the 19th-century French socialite noted for her extreme beauty and intellectual prowess as well as her salon, which drew literary and political luminaries of the time, this Modernist take on the chaise lounge invites conversation and stimulates thought. Its crimson hue and sloping shoulders recall the sensuality of neoclassical portraiture, while the slice of shocking pink lending a piquant contrast at the base is an ode to another famous Madame, Elsa Schiaparelli, the provocative fashion designer who popularized the bright shade in her 1940s couture creations. This bold, beautiful homage to two of history’s most alluring women would sit comfortably in any bedroom, or as a pair either side of a fireplace in opposing directions, to spark a tantalizing tête-à-tête.”

Textile: Remnant Felt

Metal: Post Consumer Scrap Alum., Champagne Anodized

Wood: Maple

Fast Lane

Lounge Chair

By Elena Frampton | Frampton Co

“Inspired by racing stripes and informed by a childhood immersed in L.A.’s car culture, Fast Lane expertly combines elegance and energy in equal measure. Designed in response to seasonal shifts, this sophisticated reimagining of the classic lounge chair showcases the celebrated designer’s eye for the unexpected. While its blue stripes and generous proportions recall beach house glamour, it’s the hot pink streak running through the middle of the seat that reveals its fun side. There’s more, too: look closer and you’ll notice one of the legs curves differently to the others. Consider pairing this captivating chair with Matthew Porter’s flying muscle car photography series for a true celebration of the nostalgia and romance of the car in American culture.”

Textile: Remnant Felt

Metal: Post Consumer Scrap Alum., Black Anodized

Wood: Maple

Querelle

Club Chair | Tons of Fun

By William Georgis and Ilya Mirgorodsky | Georgis & Mirgorodsky

“After an initial attempt to defy the configurator and get around its set limitations, Georgis allowed himself to completely submit to its demands and play along. He discovered that embracing its constraints sparked his imagination in new and unexpected ways, allowing him to overlay unintended meaning onto the object and imbue it with a piece of himself. The nautical stripe effect immediately led his mind to Querelle, the handsome Belgian sailor and queer cinema icon at the center of Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s 1982 arthouse film. Based on the book by Jean Genet, the story is set in a French port town where sex, drugs and violence collide with our unlikely hero’s quest for identity. This commanding club chair brings undeniable sex appeal and presence to its environment.”

Textile: Remnant Felt

Metal: Post Consumer Scrap Alum., Black Anodized

Wood: Maple

Maxine

Bench

By Benoist F. Drut | Maison Gerard

“Drut’s eye for eclecticism and exuberance is palpable in his design for the Maxine bench. The artistry and symmetry of eighteenth-century French royal furnishings, the energy and expertise of Parisian gallerist/decorator Madeleine Castaing, the Orientalist architecture of Frederic Church’s historical Hudson Valley home, and the impeccable style of 1950s English model, actress and designer Maxime de la Falaise (née Maxine Bailly) combine to provide the historical references that make this bench the perfect conversation piece. Effortlessly blending neoclassical lines with whimsical flourishes, Maxine sees Drut bringing his own, distinct flair to a beloved heritage.”

Textile: Remnant Felt

Metal: Post Consumer Scrap Alum., Black Anodized

Wood: Maple

Want to try building your own? You can. Their online configurator is here.

Source: core77