An environmentally conscious furniture brand and design studio, PLANQ is the brainchild of brothers Anton and Dennis Teeuw, who believe that it is their moral obligation as designers to design out waste from production (Mix Interiors, 2021).
Millions of tonnes of clothing are sold globally each year – with a large portion ending up burned or entering landfill. A fraction of clothing is recycled. Anton and Dennis see this has a huge global issue, believing that as designers they could make a real impact on the fashion industry – by creating innovative furniture using circular economy principles. After a long research process, PLANQ found an innovative method to reuse textile waste, transforming it into high-quality materials. This allowed them to create sustainable furniture and save discarded textile waste from entering landfill (Mix Interiors, 2021).
The result is a circular composite made from textile waste and 100% organic plastic fibres, making PLANQ’s furniture completely sustainable and reusable. This composition has a positive environmental impact, and is designed to be reused, repaired and remanufactured (Mix Interiors, 2021).
“Designers need to change their mindset to view waste as a design flaw.” (Mix Interiors, 2021).
Rezign® is an inspiring and recycled veneer, made of textile residues en biobased fibres. With the material, we aim for other creators to bridge the gap between design and environmental consciousness. The veneer lends itself perfectly to interior products, with which we all can create a better tomorrow (PlanQ website).
The veneer is made of textile waste, such as old denim, army clothing, suits and white denim. But also from biobased fibres, such as flax, hemp, and jute coffee bags. The fibres are first shredded into small pieces and then carded into felt. The felt is eventually pressed with a biodegradable binder made of potato – or corn starch into a hard veneer. Different recycled textiles result in multiple colours of Rezign® Veneer. However, please note that since it is all recycled, different batches of clothing or biobased fibres may have a different colour outcomes. Therefore, the veneer is unique and one-of-a-kind (PlanQ website).
Link: https://www.planqproducts.com/
Personal notes:
In 2018 I had the opportunity to meet Anton and Dennis Teeuw at a design conference. PlanQ has continued to grow and is one of the examples I have in mind about how to do things differently with a focus on the environment. The design makes it possible to contribute to conservation without abandoning the profession. It is possible to achieve it! The proper use of materials can create eye-catching alternatives as Rezign® Veneer does. PlanQ offers materials developed for production. They have designed products with it. The design studio also carries out interior design projects using the material in different products.
Mix Interiors. (2021, March 1). PLANQ transforms low value materials into high value interiors. Mix Interiors. Retrieved February 2, 2023, from https://www.mixinteriors.com/product/planq-transforms-low-value-materials-into-high-value-interiors/
