Chair Database
Ombak Lounger
Designed by:
Russek M
Co-Designed by:
Designer:
Mike Russek
Co-Designer:
Country of Origin (Designer):
USA
Date of Design:
2024
Date of Manufacture:
2024
Decade:
2020s
Region:
Asia
Significance:
Made from 2000 plastic bags
Manufacturer:
Sungai Design
Country of Origin (Manufacturer):
Indonesia
Material:
Polyethylene
Process:
Pressure moulded
Monobloc:
No
Cantilever:
No
Renewable Carbon:
Yes
ERPR Score:
5
ERPR Rating:
Below Average
Weight:
Note:
Designed by an American, Mike Russek for Sungai Design in Indonesia in 2024. The Ombak Lounger is made entirely from recycled plastic bags which would suggest it has good environmental credentials. However, the chair is heavy, expensive (US$960), only available in 3 colours and two variants (with or without arms) and does not stack or dismantle for shipping. The Ombak cannot be recycled at the end of its life. Despite the below average score awarded in my analysis the design is noteworthy as 2000 plastic carrier bags rescued from Indonesian waterways are collected, cleaned and compressed into sheets which are CNC milled to create the chair (while minimising waste). As with the Peggy Chair discussed earlier these designs are developed for countries where the availability of excessive plastic waste is encouraging the development of designs that ignore the environmental benefits that can be achieved by dematerialisation. A lighter product needs less material and therefore less energy to produce the material in the first place, less energy to heat and mould the product and less fuel to transport it to its place of use. At the end of life there is less waste to process.
Image Credit:
Sungai Design