Charlotte Kidger Turns Industrial Waste Into Furniture

Charlotte Kidger’s unique furniture designs are meant to stand out rather than blend in with the rest of the room. “Each piece has a balance between form and function and can be perceived by the viewer as pieces of art or functional products,” explained the material designer and maker in an interview with Upcyclist.

Her pieces don’t just stand out for their unique designs, but also for their materials. As a material designer, Kidger realizes the importance of choosing not only the right materials, but also the impact these materials have on the environment. With a hands-on approach, she explores the possibilities of using secondary raw materials to create innovative and exciting new outcomes.

“It began with a curiosity into how I could transform general everyday waste plastic into a new material through alternative processing methods,” she told Upcyclist. “I shifted from looking at everyday plastics and decided to focus on industrial waste streams, as I hoped for scalability and more unexpected material inputs.”

Her furniture includes pieces made of recycled industrial waste—polyurethane foam dust, which is a byproduct of 3D model making. All pieces are crafted by hand with little or no waste and energy throughout the making process.

“It was surprising to find out a lot of companies hadn’t even thought about where their waste was going, once it was of no value to them it was out of sight out of mind,” she says.

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