Children’s furniture company creates circular designs

A Belgium based company is creating circular furniture designs for children to help encourage them to recycle.

Plastic is a popular choice of material for making toys for young children. However, with an average lifespan of only six months, these toys often end up in the waste. A furniture company based in Belgium, ecoBirdy, has created a collection of furniture for kids made from recycled plastic toys. Their designs are circular, giving new life to old and unused plastic toys.

The process works by collecting toys and removing any unwanted materials such as batteries. Next, ecoBirdy transports the toys to a recycling center where they transform the plastic into ecothylene, a material that separates recycled plastics into colour groups. From these recycled materials, ecoBirdy produces a wide range of furniture, including chairs, tables and lamps. Made for kids, the furniture is fun and distinctive, featuring animal-shaped designs and textural patterns. In addition, once children outgrow these designs, the furniture is entirely recyclable.

As well as creating fun circular designs for children, ecoBirdy educates kids about sustainability. The company runs a school programme to help encourage children to recycle and teach them about the circular economy. Their interactive educational approach uses a storybook that raises awareness about plastic waste and the importance of recycling. ecoBirdy also involves children in their plastic collection efforts by asking them to recycle their old plastic toys. Children and parents can also choose to leave a contact email after donating their toys. ecoBirdy then contacts individuals once their toys have been up-cycled into furniture.

Consumers and brands are increasingly becoming more conscious about sustainable processes and products. A fashion company in Amsterdam partnered with a UK gum recycling company to develop fashionable sneakers made from gum. In Denmark, toymakers created a line of plant-shaped toy pieces out of sustainable sugar cane. How can consumers and brands work to achieve a more sustainable future?