While a few years ago, sustainability was a trend topic of interest only to early adopters and eco-warriors, it has now taken centre stage, especially since the emergence of the Fridays for Future movement. High time then to take a look at some particularly sustainable exhibitors at Ambiente.
Due to the incredibly large exhibition area of over 300,000 sqm at Ambiente, it was impossible for us to put all brands and products under the microscope. Nevertheless, we have included here a selection of the most interesting sustainability ideas that we encountered during our tour around Ambiente 2020.
Sustainable doormats from Heymat
We wouldn’t normally trample all over Danish design – but in this case we can make an exception. Heymat produces a product through upcycling that every household can use. The doormats are made from 50 to 100 percent recycled plastic, depending on application area and level of hardness.
These winners of the German Design Award 2020 are extremely robust and impress with their geometric design. A finely tuned colour concept and artistic motifs make them a particularly welcoming introduction to your home and this blog post. Welcome sustainability!
Reusable containers from SoL Cups
Reuse it: Refillable containers, cups and bottles are an absolute on-trend theme and there were numerous examples at Ambiente. The Australian brand SoL Cups is a particular favourite of ours.
The mouth-blown glasses are sustainably manufactured and the multi-coloured handles are made from BPA-free silicone. This means that no plasticisers or fossil raw materials are used to produce these stylish drinking containers. A contemporary companion for a thirsty life.
Our sustainable highlight at Talents: soap packaging
Even more than sustainability, we love new young talents who are trying to change the world with their ideas. This may sound a bit pretentious, but Jonna Breitenhuber, the founder of Soapbottle, could actually be a pioneer for sustainable packaging with her product.
On average, every adult uses about one bottle of shampoo a month and what’s left is an empty plastic bottle that ends up in the trash. Soapbottles, as the name suggests, are packaging made from hard soap that can be filled with liquid shampoo and then reused as hand soap after use. Zero waste – and our sustainability highlight at this year’s Ambiente.
Akinod makes plastic cutlery a thing of the past
The EU has come to realise that plastic cutlery is environmentally unfriendly and has passed a law against the use of disposable plastic, which will come into force from 2021. While some manufacturers still need a little time to rethink their processes, Akinod has already come up with a product ready for the cutlery drawer.
The company has designed a robust knife, fork and spoon set with magnetic connectors – perfect for on the go. The cutlery set is not only functional, it’s also a great lifestyle product with handles available in different designs from wood to jungle motifs to flower power.
ArtCycling with a message
The theme world of Brazilian design excited us almost as much as the Talents at Ambiente. While some designers already incorporate sustainability directly into the design of their furniture, Bianca Barbato goes one step further. Using gold-plated waste and silver-plated old furniture, she creates a surreal world between past and modern.
She makes tables out of old plastic bottles, art objects out of squeezed toothpaste tubes and lamps out of crushed drinks cans. The Brazilian-born creator of this art installation is also one of the hottest furniture designers in her home country.
100% renewable garden furniture from EcoFurn
We simply love wood. To achieve contentment, sometimes all you need is a comfortable deckchair and the sound of the wind rustling in the leaves. This is pretty much how we felt when we entered the EcoFurn stand.
Outdoor furniture reduced to the max – various Finnish woods connected by an intelligent rope system to form a multifunctional piece of outdoor furniture. With two seating positions, EcoFurn deckchairs invite you to enjoy the beauty of nature. They also fold flat for easy storage.
Urban future
Schoenhaesslich will be showing the fruits of their investigations again next year at Ambiente. We hope this article will encourage you to think more about sustainable products, because sustainability does not always mean having to accept compromises or second-best. You just have to know the right products.
