For materials manufacturer 3form, sustainability has been a vital part of the brand’s DNA since its founding in 2004. Its program — which considers people, product and planet in equal measure — informs everything from its design methods to production processes, working towards the goal of net positive manufacturing. In keeping with principles of circular design, 3form’s recent launches upcycle waste into products that beautify the built environment. With construction materials accounting for 11 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, each one represents a step in the right direction.
3form’s eco-conscious ethos is perhaps best embodied by , the brand’s first 100 per cent recycled product. Launched in September 2021, Flek Pure is an evolution of the flagship Flek resin collection, which includes at least 75 per cent recycled content. “We didn’t stop when the Flek Collection launched in 2019 because we knew we wouldn’t be satisfied until we reached 100 per cent recycled material,” says the 3form Product Development team. “This was a challenging, extensive process, but the result is so rewarding.”
A decade in the making, Flek Pure repurposes in-house waste from 3form’s Varia resin line that has been pelletized and colour categorized through an optical sorter, guaranteeing clarity and cleanliness. The resulting terrazzo-like surface is not only sustainable but highly durable — while maintaining the signature translucency Flek has come to be known for.
Meanwhile, Sola Felt, an acoustic product by 3form Elements, leverages post-consumer waste from one of the environment’s worst offenders: plastic water bottles. Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is pelletized and then extruded into thin fibres that are layered and pressed together into sheets of sound-absorbing felt, comprised of 50 per cent post-consumer content. Offered in 21 colourways, ranging from vibrant to neutral hues, Sola Felt can be used in any number of applications, from overhead installations to geometric partitions.
But while the company is best known for its materials, lighting manufacturer LightArt forms another sustainable branch of the 3form family. In May 2022, the brand revamped its already-green , made from recycled material waste, through a partnership with Oceanworks. “Once we were able to create a recycled 3D printed pendant, ocean plastics were a clear next challenge,” says Edwin Vice, LightArtʼs Director of Research and Development.“We have an aggressive sustainability mission and these pendants represent a greater step in the Coil Collectionʼs evolution.”
The soft white spherical Sea Foam pendant, available in two sizes, is made from ocean-bound plastic such as single-use plastic bags and water bottles. The green teardrop-shaped Seagrass pendant utilizes near-shore plastic like finishing nets, trawls and ropes. Each pendant diverts one pound of plastic from the ocean. Both are comprised of 100 per cent recycled polypropylene, which affords the pendants their translucent finish that emits a luminous glow. According to LightArt, there are even more Coil Collections in the works.
The three launches reflect 3form’s aim to leave the planet in better condition than they found it. As part of the Align initiative, the products meet several industry certifications including the Product Challenge, EPDs, Declare labels, and GreenGuard Gold. What’s more, the company’s longstanding take-back program prevents its products from filling up landfills. 3form has even attained The International Living Future Institute (ILFI)’s Just Label — a de facto nutrition label for socially just and equitable organizations — and has committed to improving in two categories per year. This transparency is a key driver in 3form’s mission: to “empower architects, designers, and consumers to make smart choices about how they buy and build.”
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