Sustainable Furniture Design Using More Innovative Materials Than Ever Before

It seems that a new breed of eco-friendly furniture designers are galloping to the forefront of the green scene and shattering our old-world perception of household décor and the materials required to construct them.

What was once the exclusive realm of wood, metal and glass is now a hotbed for incredibly experimental materials that some might consider garbage, but in the hands of the right person, they are elevated to examples of very clever repurposing.

In the old world, a stool might have looked like this...carved from solid wood, stained with some sort of highly noxious chemical preparation and sealed with a petroleum based shellac.

Ryan Frank's idea of a stool is light years beyond what we are accustomed to, not just from the design perspective but also in terms of the materials used.

Rather than utilizing solid wood for his pieces, he seeks out the most sustainable materials possible, and in the case of his Isabella totem pole style stacking stool, the interior is made from formaldehyde-free compressed straw surrounded by a 100% wool felt exterior adhered with entirely natural, non-toxic glue. Similarly, his Inkuku Chair, is made from plastic shopping bags.

Are you turned off by experimental furniture materials or do you think that they are just as desirable as traditional elements like solid wood?

Would you consider a one of Frank's pieces to be an heirloom that you would happily pass down to your grandchildren?