LAYER + RÆBURN recycle parachute material to create the canopy chair collection

LAYER has teamed up with responsible design company RÆBURN on the canopy collection, a family of four rocking chairs and two screens made from steel frames and recycled parachute material. launched during 2019’s london design festival in RÆBURN’s new store in central london, the collaboration brings together the respective brands passion for sustainability.

the canopy collection celebrates innovative thinking from both the industrial design and fashion worlds

all images courtesy of LAYER

the simple pieces are made using welded steel frames produced by leading british furniture manufacturer, allermuir. within these frames, the recycled parachute material is inserted to form the body of the chairs and screens. the result is a unique aesthetic that can be used in both commercial and domestic settings.

both studios share a passion for responsible sustainable design and have an interest in recontextualising undervalued materials

“at LAYER, we take inspiration from a diverse range of creative industries and value the opportunity to explore new approaches. the canopy collection is a close collaboration with RÆBURN, a fashion brand that shares our passion for sustainable and responsible design. together, we have translated the label’s iconic use of upcycled parachute material into an exciting exploration of form and materiality in furniture,” explains benjamin hubert, founder of LAYER.

the limited edition canopy collection comprises four rocking chairs and two screens made from welded steel frames with recycled parachute upholstery

“at the core of the RÆBURN brand is our remade in england approach; in our tenth year it’s been an honor to partner with LAYER on the canopy collection which has resulted in a truly unique opportunity for both brands to test, learn and ultimately achieve a project that’s as unexpected as it is experimental. with craft, creativity and quality at the heart of the partnership it’s been fantastic to work directly alongside benjamin hubert and his talented team to bring new materials and methods of make to the collaborative collection”, comments christopher raeburn, creative director of RÆBURN.

the fabric has been wrapped, slung and hung within and around the framework to create padding, webbing and cover solutions with simple fixation points

throughout the design process, LAYER and RÆBURN explored the RÆBURN archives and the way the studio re-contextualises surplus parachutes to create iconic fashion

the teams focused their research on surplus ex-military parachutes and aircraft brake parachutes, looking at their unique structure, translucency and tactility

the canopy collection uses the strict geometry of the steel frames as a base on which to experiment with innovative and forward-thinking recycled parachute upholstery

the construction of the steel frame reflects the expression of the parachute material

the canopy collection is tuned into the semantics of a parachute in flight – the lounge chair gently rocks back and forth whilst the re-configurable screen takes inspiration from the wing

the ability to layer the ultra-thin ripstop nylon to create durable furniture pieces with innovative forms was a particular area of interest

each of the four rocking chairs – which all have the same framework – showcases a different quality of the parachute material, from a highly-controlled and simple expression to a raw, sculptural form

project info:

project name: the canopy collection

design: LAYER in collaboration with RÆBURN 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom