From Compost to Composites

Image Source psfk.com

Something that we need to have is good ideas for sustainable resources. As the planet kicks up a fuss about the amount of waste we pile into its crevices year after year, more of us are turning our focus to solutions. Green or environmentally friendly technology and ideas are a good source of opportunity and change, as governments around the world are all in agreement to make an effort to reduce pollutants.


Artist and designer, Simon Kern, has created a concept chair made from autumn leaves and treated cooking oil. This combination of romance and chips brings on images of bus stops and teenagers, but in reality, this composite chair could well be the start of something very interesting. Leaves drop every year from deciduous trees at no cost the the tree. Much like the fruit, the tree produces the crop and naturally releases it. You don't have to chop down the tree.


This Slovak modern thinker has given us a material that looks pleasant, is made from recycled materials, and can be used to produce any number of pieces of furniture or other functional items. The oil is formed into a resin which hardens around the leaves, and as it dries to transparent the leaves remain visible as a solidified mulch which still holds its golden colour.


By using a basic and minimal tubular steel frame, the chair is able to show off its textures and hues to the full extent. Kern hopes the biodegradable furniture will be a prototype for many more items in the future, as he masters the technique he hopes to bring a new viable material onto the market. Let's hope it catches on and we can stop making those ghastly plastic chairs.