Hemp Chair
Designed by:
Aisslinger W
Co-Designed by:
-
Designer:
Werner Aisslinger
Co-Designer:
-
Country of Origin (Designer):
Germany
Date of Design:
2011
Date of Manufacture:
2011
Decade:
2010s
Region:
Europe
Significance:
Hemp and water based resin allow this chair to be biodegradable - moulding technology borrowed from the car industry
Manufacturer:
BASF
Country of Origin (Manufacturer):
Germany
Material:
Natural fibres
Process:
Pressure moulded
Monobloc:
No
Cantilever:
No
Renewable Carbon:
Yes
ERPR Score:
14
ERPR Rating:
Above Average
Weight:
Note:
This extremely-light chair can be stacked for transportation (at least 4 units high) and is available in a variety of bright colours featuring a rough texture. The chair is made from natural fibres bonded with a water-based glue, developed in conjunction with BASF, containing no phenols or formaldehyde. Hemp is particularly attractive as a renewable resource as it grows quickly without the need for fertilisers and removes carbon from the atmosphere. Compression moulding technology borrowed from the automobile industry is used to manufacture the Hemp Chair, with the design optimised to avoid waste. Cantilevered chairs are challenging to develop and only a handful of designers have succeeded in developing one using plastics. This makes Aisslinger’s achievement in developing the cantilevered Hemp Chair using natural fibre impressive. While most cantilevered designs depend on the give of the material to enhance comfort, the Hemp Chair is quite solid and does not yield significantly when sat on.
Image Credit:
Michel Bonvin for BASF & studio aisslinger