Last year, we supported a UK designer, Choisi Studio, to create an environmental friendly chair that is upcycled from post consumer electronics.
Using recycled resin that is separated from the PCB circuit boards, this rigid resin based high density fiberboard is CNC cut and assembled into a sturdy chair.
This project highlights the Chair for Designer Award and demonstrates how sustainable materials and precise manufacturing processes can deliver durable seating.
The process of building a chair was very troublesome, because cutting the rPCB boards naturally weakens the overall structural strength and makes the rPCB plank vulnerable to brittleness and breakage. To protect the chair from damage during express delivery, we built a wooden box and sent it to the UK for the 2024 Clerkenwell Design Week Exhibition.
Chair for Designer Award results
The Result for Building a Chair : An Award Recognition for Recycled Material Applications
Furniture crafted from recycled electronic circuit boards (PCB) with 3D-printed connector parts reinforced with carbon fiber rods.
Electronic Circuit Board (PCB) is a heavily used electronic component in every piece of equipment used in our daily lives. With rapid development and upgrade in consumable electronics, large sums of electronic waste are being generated and are thrown away.
Using isolation technology to separate heavy metals from the circuit boards, then hot pressed to create panel materials that is 100% recycled that can be easily fabricated into functional furniture.
Here is a bit of laugh and crack (Laughter Crack)
When I was sharing the story of this project with my good friend in Houston, I literally said we built a casket to send the chair to UK, and her reaction was hilariously.
She said: “what did you built?”.
“A casket! A wooden box to put things in!”
Of Course we immediately realized that we had a completely different definition for the word casket. One is used for burying the deceased, and one for putting jewelries and small items. So we both had a good laugh over the definition.
About Ethan Lee
Ethan Lee is the founder of Sreelance Material Technology. Sreelance provides a one-stop sourcing solutions for global flooring importers. With experience within across different building material industries, Ethan is equipped with knowledge and connections for top-quality OEM suppliers across Asia. By acting as a buying group to offer competitive purchasing costs for flooring importers.