Truly fantastic plastic

Just when you think DesignByThem couldn’t possibly release a new range even more charming than their last, they do. The most recent case in point is Confetti Collection and Co-founders and Directors Nick Karlovasitis and Sarah Gibson have outdone themselves.

Confetti’s name alone is enough to raise a smile and the sheer scale of the collection – there are no less than 100 variations across the first release of planters, tables, stools and benches – will satisfy even the fussiest of design aficionados.

It’s also a significant collection for the Sydney-based studio because this is the first time they’ve used 100 per cent recycled plastic in one of their ranges (their hugely popular Butter benches, stools and seats are made using some recycled content).

“We wanted to highlight how a product utilising industrial processes and waste materials can share many of the same characteristics as much loved, naturally occurring materials such as stone,” explains Karlovasitis, who co-designed Confetti alongside Gibson. “And we’ve always been fascinated by the application of re-used or recycled materials.”

The 100% recycled plastic is a sturdy base for the fun collection’s tables, stools and benches and it’s what the circular planters are made from. Each of these strong bold forms is offset by the clean, simple lines of the tabletops and upholstered seats, ensuring the plastic is the star of the show.

It’s the material’s confetti-like speckled motif – not unlike terrazzo, which is currently enjoying a well-deserved comeback – that makes each piece truly unique. A base composition of black, white and clear highlights the colourful patterning, as well as provides a sense of cohesion across the board so each of the plastic surfaces don’t look completely disjointed from the next.

The Confetti collection essentially elevates a material not traditionally thought of as attractive and therein lies its appeal. Yes, it’s playful and unexpected, but it’s also incredibly sophisticated in its resolve.

As Karlovasitis says, “The collection’s innovation is in the recontextualization of recycled plastic and how it can be used to produce something that’s sustainable, desirable and different to what’s currently available in the market.”

It’s promoting conversation around the important topic of recycling and sets a benchmark for the future use of plastic in furniture design and manufacture.

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