Recycled stool helps clear the seas of plastic debris

UK-based Studio Swine has produced the Sea Chair, a seat made entirely of waste reclaimed from the sea.

Using recycled materials in the creation of a new product can imbue it with a sense of time or place, a fact Portuguese company House of Wonders used to their advantage with their furniture made from old sailing vessels. Now, UK-based Studio Swine has produced the Sea Chair, a stool made entirely of waste reclaimed from the sea. Comprised of Azusa Murakami and Alexander Groves, Studio Swine worked with fellow designer Kieren Jones in building a sluice-like contraption that is able to separate bits of plastic from other materials. The team used the machine to collect people-produced waste from the shores of the UK, which was then filtered to remove the smaller bits of material, such as seaweed, that was picked up by the device. This organic material is then used as biofuel for melting down the reclaimed plastic, which is then poured into a basic mould to produce the Sea Chair. A tag is then added marking the geographical location where its materials were sourced. This process benefits the environment by ridding oceans of plastic waste, which can be detrimental to sealife and eventually to humans due to the fact the material absorbs hydrophobic chemicals when broken down, increasing the toxicity levels of the sea and the fish which may be later eaten. Secondly, if the process could be developed further as the design practice hopes it can, more furniture could be made in this eco-friendly fashion. The first Sea Chairs were shown at the Milan Furniture Fair 2012, although prices for the piece are currently unknown. Could you help Studio Swine grow this business idea further?