Were are pleased to be launching our new Work Series II table at Clerkenwell Design Week 2022 (24 – 26 May), as part of the ‘British Collection’.
Work Series II combines authentically sustainable materials and our recognised design expertise. Embracing biophilic and WELL Standard principle, the new table explores soft, organic forms and tactile materials through its circular shape and rounded edges. Its frame has been constructed from Portuguese eucalyptus wood, a material local to the factory which is fast-growing and quick to harvest. The frame is constructed using non-formaldehyde-added glue and finished with zero-VOC plant-based finishes. Other eco-friendly materials featured in the design include cork accessories and natural wool, which has been used to create a sound-absorbing privacy screen. The desks will come in various sizes, with a choice of power options and desk accessories to give the user more control over their workspace.
Upon learning that 1.2 million desks end of in landfill in the UK each year (Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), we imagined a design that would directly address this issue of waste within the industry. In circular economy, office furniture items should be built using few but high-quality materials that are designed to last and that can be reused, recycled or repurposed. As stated by the Ellen McArthur Foundation; “waste and pollution are not accidents, but the consequence of decisions made at the design stage, where around 80% of environmental impacts are determined. By changing our mindset to view waste as a design flaw and harnessing new materials and technologies, we can ensure waste and pollution are not created in the first place.”
Marking a new era in its history, we are experimenting with recycled plastic through our collaboration with leading design studio Smile Plastics. We have chosen to complete the table’s design by including a removable top comprised entirely of discarded yoghurt pots. The innovative material, Alba*, is a 100% recycled and recyclable terrazzo-style surface, flecked with metallic hints (from the foil yoghurt pot lids) to create a marble-like effect, and can be fully recycled at the end of its lifespan by Smile Plastic. This marriage between sustainability and design will provide a flexible and environmentally friendly solution to the future of office furniture.
This shift towards non-natural materials is a first for us but remains in line with the sustainable values at the heart of the brand. Our mission, as a responsible, purposeful and useful company, is to create sustainably made furniture on an impactful scale. We are already leading the charge in the industry as a carbon-neutral business that plants more trees than it uses and only deals with FSC or PEFC-certified timber and 100% natural fibres in its upholstery. Work Series II, like all Another Country Products, is a carbon-neutral product.
Come and visit us at The British Collection, The Crypt on the Green (under St James’s Church), Clerkenwell May 24 – 26.
More info and directions: Clerkenwell Design Week.
* To be replaced with a similar product called FLEKK for production
