Department store waste turned into new home furnishings line

Design studio diverts usable industrial materials from landfill

Spotted: Design studio GoodWaste has transformed shop fittings from department store Selfridges into a new line of home furnishings, preventing them from going to landfill. The studio collected perforated steel, candle wax, and a solid acrylic surfacing material called Corian from Selfridges’ Oxford Street store for the initial collection. The transformation of industrial waste into useful items of beauty allows the department store to convert waste material into income.

Called the Circular Department Store Collection, the scrap material has been turned into vases, lamps, and candles. Production occurred in London with the new line on sale in the same Oxford Street store from which its materials were sourced. Steel became Dot and Slot table lamps, with versions available in bright white or cobalt blue. The name and design specifically draws attention to the material used in the product.  

Rough-edged Crack candles can be snapped in half for varying sizes, and the Bora vases make no effort to hide the dents and dings that came about through the process of dismantling the material from its original use. GoodWaste’s work highlights the ease with which waste can become beautiful.

From recycled polyester yarn made from single-use plastic bottles, to crab shells replacing toxic chemicals in a variety of manufacturing processes, Springwise is spotting numerous ways in which waste is becoming increasing valuable and usable.