Upcycling isn’t just for Pinterest crafters anymore. We found 19 home brands that transform previously used materials—think tires, engine coils, fishing nets and chalkboards—to construct new, beautiful objects for the home. “From waste byproduct rubber to post consumer particles, the central material to our furniture would otherwise be thought of as pure waste,” says Slash Objects founder Arielle Assouline-Lichten. “We capture this amazing resourcefulness in a new and innovative way by using design to rethink how material can be used.” Shopping with low-impact production or philanthropy in mind? Find the rest of BOH’s green shopping guide here.
Homepage photo: Courtesy of Meso Goods. Product photography: Slash Objects, Israel Ventidos; all others courtesy of brands.
Lovesac: The modular Sactional sofa’s upholstery is made from recycled plastic bottles; cushions are filled with shredded scrap foam from the sofa industry.
Ferm Living: The woven polyester Way cushion is crafted from recycled plastic bottles.
Ethnicraft: The shapes that adorn the Graphic sideboard’s doors are composed of leftover wood scrap from the company’s factory, which would otherwise be too small for furniture.
Ann Sacks: The Crackle collection by Kohler WasteLAB is made of unfired clay culled from Kohler’s Wisconsin factory, turning the waste into a reusable material.
Mater: For its Ocean collection, the Copenhagen-based brand reenvisioned a 1955 design as outdoor furniture, manufactured entirely from ocean waste like recycled fishing nets. In some cases, the company even pays Danish fishing operations to recycle their used nets rather than abandoning them at sea.
Buffy: The fill of the Cloud comforter is made of recycled polyester. Since 2017, the brand has recycled more than 7 million plastic bottles.
Groundwork Home: Repurposed surfaces are standard fare for the Philadelphia-based manufacturer, which counts old paving stones, school chalkboards, marble shower stall dividers and factory machine bases among the materials it upcycles for its custom furniture.
Crossville: Since 2012, the brand's Tile Take-Back program has turned 130 million pounds of post-consumer porcelain (think: toilets) into pieces like its Reformation tile.
Stitchroom: Sales of pillows produced from remnant fabrics, used to train the e-tailer's new stitchers, go to a New York arts nonprofit.
Annie Selke: The brand uses recycled plastic—the Cove pillow is made entirely of recycled polyester— in its indoor/outdoor collections.
Nothing: The Brooklyn-based design collective, formed by recent Rhode Island School of Design alumni, makes its decor, which includes Amber lighting, using materials like pulled roving (unspun wool) and upcycled fabrics—anything from blue jeans to industry scraps.
Meso Goods: The brand uses organic Guatemalan wool sourced in Quetzaltenango for its Area rug; it also recycles post-consumer bottles into glassware.
Native Trails: Hammered copper products like the Cozumel vanity top are made from recycled copper (mostly engine coils) sourced and constructed in central Mexico, where the craft has deep roots.
Kvadrat: Reused scraps from the Danish textile brand’s yarn spinners in the U.K. are reformulated to create its Re-wool collection, which includes 21 colorways and is made with 45 percent recycled wool.
Lee Jofa: The brand’s latest indoor/ outdoor rug collection, including the chevron-patterned Sellister, is made entirely of recycled plastic from India.
Slash Objects: Recycled tire rubber and salvaged marble from across the U.S. are combined to create the Coexist standing mirror.
Formica: Post-production paper chips from solid colorways—which would otherwise have gone to waste—comprise 30 percent of the brand’s Paper Terrazzo sheet laminate.
Kinnasand: The Swedish brand’s Scrap CMYK curtains are made of recycled polyester from used plastic bottles.
