In the leafy streets of Sydney’s Inner West, a quiet revolution is underway, a slow march toward a more circular, sustainable future for industrial design. The epicentre of this rebellion is the HQ of Klaro Industrial Design, a commercially focused furniture supplier that adopts a “Slow fashion” philosophy to their product suite. Operating in an industry that has benefited from the churn and burn of commercial fitouts, Klaro’s ethos is in itself a revolt from the norm, and sets up an alternative specification pathway that is as much about reducing landfill and supporting local manufacturing, as it is about creating beautiful and functional workplaces.

Their latest initiative is taking this commitment and dialling it up even further, with the introduction of recycled HDPE surface options across the Klaro product range. Made from post-consumer plastic waste, recycled HDPE is recognisable for its unique, softly speckled pattern. Durable and low-maintenance, the materiality is as high performing as it is ethical, with each marbled sheet made from discarded items like milk bottles, cleaning agent containers, bleach containers, and shampoo containers. 

Klaro’s flexible, local, made-to-order production model enables them to harness the latest evolutions in sustainable materials, making them more accessible to specifiers than ever before. With a collaborative and bespoke mindset, Klaro also invites architects and designers to collaborate on custom finishes, formats, and specifications to suit project needs and our evolving design values. 

CONUS h/a + HDPE top

CONUS h/a is a height-adjustable table system that introduces seamless sit-to-stand flexibility while maintaining the distinctive sculptural, monolithic form of the original CONUS design. The CONUS h/a is available in single, double or triple-leg configurations with integrated power and cable management, and tracks from coffee table to bar height smoothly and effortlessly. 

The new HDPE worktops bring a tactile expression and a sustainable edge to CONUS, pairing design clarity with material circularity for the changing needs of both the environment and the workplace. The matte marble of the HDPE top provides an artful juxtaposition to the glistening powdercoat of the leg masses, where custom colourways allow for the flexibility in design that is so central to the Klaro name.

SUMMERDAY + HDPE seat and back

SUMMERDAY is a commercial chair that embraces recycled plastic as both its structural and aesthetic composition. A frame of bent steel tubing creates a fluid skeleton of a single line, supporting a seat and back both made from 100% recycled HDPE. The frame’s natural flexibility creates subtle ergonomic movement, while the HDPE panels bring durability, hygiene, and one-of-a-kind visual texture.

Built entirely in Australia using low-energy manufacturing processes, SUMMERDAY includes glue-free construction based on only six screws, allowing for easy disassembly for straightforward refurbishment or recycling at the end-of-life cycle stage. Recently featured at Perth Design Week and the Local Thread event hosted by Castledex, SUMMERDAY stood out as a practical and scalable example of circular design in action. 

“The Summerday chair is an excellent example of how consumer byproducts can be transformed into a new, functional product,” said Eliza Kelly, Senior Designer at Unispace. “By recycling and reusing materials to create a ready made chair, it highlights a great initiative that not only supports sustainability but also encourages consumers to consider their role in helping the environment. This approach not only reduces waste but also inspires others to rethink how products can be made with a smaller environmental footprint”

For Klaro Industrial Design, the integration of HDPE surfaces is a reinforcement of their modus operandi; a beautiful, practical, and considered way to cater to the changing demands of Australia’s commercial typologies. Their commitment to progressive design vernaculars helps to drive our industry forward, with each speckled CONUS table top and SUMMERDAY seat conveying a material story grounded in circularity and raw honesty.

Klaro Industrial Design
klarodesign.com.au/