Material matters

This project was our first exploration into the potential of natural fiber bio-composites for furniture design. The result was a lounge chair design that highlights the links between form, materials and production methods.

Unlike known and traditional materials, which often carry implicit form languages and cultural references, these new composites lack predefined design cues, offering an open canvas for giving form. We embraced this freedom by leaning into the textile and flowing qualities of linen. This material-driven approach allowed us to highlight the soft, draping aesthetic of flax fibers, creating an organic and welcoming lounge chair design. The frame mirrors the fluidity of the shells form, delicately propping up the shell to meet the user.

Preceding the design process was a period of research and experimentation of the qualities of flax fiber and PLA composites. The many tests and investigations both informed the design and made the production of a prototype possible.