Promotion: Arper has cited its latest chair, the Catifa Carta - made almost entirely from waste materials and fully recyclable - as emblematic of its transition into embracing the circular economy.
It coincides with the Italian furniture brand publishing its annual sustainability report this month, outlining some of Arper's key achievements in 2023. Most notably, the company increased its use of recycled materials by 15 per cent while reducing waste intensity by more than 24 per cent.
The char's bi-curved shell is derived from paper rather than plastic
While the report outlined the progress the brand made last year, Arper said the newly launched Catifa Carta chair exemplifies "increasing demand for environmentally conscious design while demonstrating that beauty, functionality, and sustainability can harmoniously coexist". The chair is an updated version of Lievore Altherr Molina's Catifa 53 chair from 2001, with its distinctive bi-curved shell rendered in paper rather than plastic.
The material used to form its seat is called PaperShell and is made almost entirely from waste materials, mostly residues from wood production that are turned into kraft paper.
Its shell is made from 29 craft paper sheets
Exactly 29 sheets of this paper are then layered and bound together using pressure and a natural resin binder derived from agricultural waste streams.
Instead of becoming waste, PaperShell can actually become a carbon store and a soil enhancer at the end of its life...