Kelp-inspired chairs 3D-printed from recycled fishing nets

The recyclable chair concept draws attention to underwater deforestation

Spotted: ‘Ghost nets’ affect almost very body of water, especially those that are commercially fished. Innovators around the world are grappling with ways to turn damaging discarded nets into something useful and beautiful. The latest attempt comes from Swedish conceptual design company Interesting Times Gang (ITG), which recently debuted its Kelp Collection line of furniture. 

Designed to imitate the curvature and wavy look of kelp moving below water, the chairs are 3D-printed from a mix of recycled fishing nets and wood fibre. Each piece can be ground down into base materials for reuse many times.

Along with the name, the bright green colour draws attention to the important challenge of reducing underwater deforestation. More efficient than trees at removing carbon dioxide from the air, kelp forests are victims of the overfishing that results in the deluge of nets lost in marine environments. Created for a new sushi restaurant in Stockholm, the furniture line will be available publicly late in 2022.

Coral reefs are another underwater environment in danger of being lost. Because they are better known than kelp forests, reefs are the subject of myriad restoration projects, using technologies such as bacteria that encourage regrowth and manmade structures seeded with coral fragments.