christien meindertsma wins dutch design award with biodegradable flax chair

every year, during dutch design week, the dutch design awards take place, showcasing a platform containing the full spectrum of what the country’s creative minds are accomplishing.  the winner of the product category has been designer christien meindertsma, who won the future award with her FLAX chair— impressing the jury on all fronts. the biodegradable chair combines the natural fibers of wool and flax with strong bio-plastic fibers, resulting in a material that can be heat-pressed into unbelievable shapes.

video courtesy of vpro
(main image) photo by nick bookelaar

christien meindertsma has been conducting research into the potentials of flax as a material for many years — she even bought a flax farm to gain understanding of how the material can be cultivated and processed. the FLAX chair was designed for label breed and developed in close cooperation with enkev. it was made from one sheet of composite measuring around 2 feet by 3 feet, resulting in very little waste. the initial run will use straw-colored natural flax, but the material itself can be dyed, so many options can be available.

photo by studio aandacht

‘this project is clearly about more than just another chair: it is the result of long-term research into the material qualities of flax, a desire to reinstate the value of a largely underrated fibre (the short flax fibre), and seeking to connect with dutch companies to launch a new product on the market,’ comments the jury. ‘working in collaboration with label breed and enkev, these efforts culminated in an astonishingly elegant result. the jury considers the flax chair an excellent example of what contemporary design can achieve.’

photo by studio aandacht

photo by studio aandacht

photo by studio aandacht

photo by studio aandacht

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