Ocean plastic waste becomes the DuraOcean chair
Plastic waste is killing our ocean. Find out how one brand has repurposed this waste to create the stunning DuraOcean chair - the first commercially available chair made from 100% recycled ocean plastic.
LifestyleGarden
We asked the award-winning designer of the DuraOcean chair, Inbal Kahaner what her inspiration was for this groundbreaking new development. She told us.....
During the design process I created a fresh, new interpretation of the traditional slatted outdoor look by merging it with a soft and embracing shape that can also be used indoors. The length of time between an idea and the resulting mass production product is very long, and the process involves examining every tiny detail. It took more than a year of development to find the balance between the perfect shape, the right comfort and the best production method. There were many risks involved. Investment in tooling and processing was high, as this was a new material which needed to be carefully tested and studied. The first time I saw the chair coming out of the mould was a magical moment for me.
Modern consumers are more and more aware of their responsibility to purchase sustainable products, and in most cases, they are even willing to pay a bit more. However, consumers are increasingly regarding their outdoor environment as an extension of the indoors, and this is why shoppers will not compromise on design. The DuraOcean® chair represents a recycling transformation, from harmful and polluting ocean waste into a functional and stylish piece of furniture that meets current trends. Consumers get to enjoy the added value of upgrading their living space and protecting the environment. As word spreads about the stylish, functional design, more chairs will be sold, helping to clean the oceans of polluting waste.
Credit: LifestyleGarden
- In-store at Robert Dyas
- In-store at A range of UK garden centres
- Online from edenproject.com
LifestyleGarden
Ever since Sir David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II series aired on the BBC, concern over the devastating effect of plastic waste on marine wildlife has risen to the top of the environmental agenda. Every year we produce 300 million tonnes of plastic waste – nearly the same weight as the entire word’s population. About eight million tonnes of discarded plastic ends up in the world’s oceans; enough to circle the Earth 425 times.
With ‘ocean plastic’ killing more than 100,000 marine creatures every year, and predictions that by 2050 there could be more plastic than fish calling the ocean its home, leading manufacturer of eco-friendly outdoor furniture LifestyleGarden® decided it was time for action. Following a long period of research and development, the unique, robust and durable DuraOcean® chair was born. While each chair comprises 3.5kg of recycled marine waste, the legs have been crafted from sustainable Brazilian FSC-approved eucalyptus.
Credit: LifestyleGarden
- In-store at Robert Dyas
- In-store at A range of UK garden centres
- Online from edenproject.com
LifestyleGarden
DuraOcean® Chairs are a shining example of our commitment to sustainable development practices, manufactured from 100% recycled plastics recovered from the ocean.
Not only are the raw materials taken from recycled marine debris, but the entire chair can be disassembled and recycled once again at the end of its lifecycle. The majority of the plastic is sourced from fishing nets, which along with other salvaged plastic debris provide the green DuraOcean® colour.
Our partners collect the waste from the ocean, before processing it into a valuable recycled raw material, which is delivered to us in pellet form. These pellets are mixed into resin with other additives and gas-injected into our custom-built moulds. The result is a UV-resistant and ergonomically designed bucket that is supported by our hard-wearing FSC® Brazilian Eucalyptus wood.
Credit: LifestyleGarden
- In-store at Robert Dyas
- In-store at A range of UK garden centres
- Online from edenproject.com