philipp hainke presses hemp and organic binder into furniture collection

philipp hainke’s organico utilizes traditional and renewable resources for the development of a new, innovative material. presented during milan design week, the collection of chairs and partitioners combines nature and technology with a material that contributes to a new and sustainable way of thinking about materiality and product life cycles.

the unique texture is the result of the manufacturing process

using an adhesive composed from calcium hydroxide and casein, the designer pressed hemp fibers and shives into solid shapes. through extensive research, the optimal composition and structure was found for a sandwich material with a cover of hemp fiber mat and a core of hemp shives that is stable and light at the same time.

the pieces are designed to function as a group

in a unique, purposeful way, the objects preserve the archaic character of their resources with a clear design that does not forfeit sensuality. the significance of the project can also be seen in the research of various ways of processing and using the material to introduce a new sustainable method.

prototypes from the design and material experiments

the structure is made out of rattan

made to relax in a natural, eco-friendly environment

technical parts like screw sleeves can be directly integrated in the molding process

the colors are made with natural pigments which are added directly to the binder

the two molded pieces of the chair are equal to save manufacturing costs

the innovative sandwich structure allows a variation of thickness within the piece

the final binder recipe has been developed and improved in a long term research

a selection of material samples from the process

prototypes from the design and material experiments in combination with rattan

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: sofia lekka angelopoulou | designboom