Local, sustainable and urban: industrial designers Lena Halbedel and Florian Krohm design furniture made from waste wood from the Ruhr region. In 2015, they founded their label Eltingmöbel in Essen's Elting district.

Bulky waste is not only found on many street corners in the Ruhr area. The material is usually thermally recycled, i.e. incinerated. The two industrial designers were disturbed by the idea. "We didn't think that was an ideal solution. And asked ourselves: can't we do something better with it?" says Florian Krohm. You can. After various prototypes, the final shape of the Elting stool was decided: it is not only a practical, versatile seat, but also stands for the sustainable use of resources. The stool is made entirely from scrap wood, which is mortised and glued together using a precisely fitting plug-in connection. Each stool is a carefully crafted one-off, characterized by its special shape and practical handle. The seating furniture made from waste wood is produced entirely and fairly in the Ruhr region. The material is not perfect and has small scratches and scuffs - which is exactly what makes it so charming. The stools are available in different colors. The two industrial designers offer a coworking space for designers, freelancers and founders with a complete workshop in their district factory in Essen's city center, as well as design-it-yourself workshops where participants can build their own furniture under supervision.

www.stadtteilfabrik.de

Photos:

Josephine Scheuer, Sally Plöger
www.sallyploeger.com

(Published in CUBE Ruhr Area 01|20)