tan wei xiang knots used curtains for stools at milan design week

knots stool series revitalizes textile waste materials

Tan Wei Xiang upcycles old curtains and blankets and ties them into simple seats for his Knots Stool series. Unveiled during Milan Design Week, the works are simple yet intentional, inviting us to consider our relationship with such material waste to shape more mindful, sustainable living choices.

The Singaporean designer salvages these unwanted fabrics and weaves them through lightweight wooden frames in gestures that require no need for technical construction or complex stitching. He is one of 14 designers featured at the Future Impact 3: DESIGN NATION showcase in Milan, running from April 8th–13th, which celebrates six decades of Singaporean design.

image by Tan Wei Xiang

tan wei xiang embraces sustainable living

Future Impact 3: DESIGN NATION is organized by the DesignSingapore Council (Dsg) and curated by Tony Chambers, Maria Cristina Didero, and Hunn Wai. Set inside a former 13th-century church in the heart of Milan’s Cinque Vie district, the exhibition traces a narrative through Singapore’s design legacy, looking at cultural touchstones alongside contemporary innovations and forward-thinking concepts from emerging designers.

Tan Wei Xiang’s Knots Stool series appears in the section dedicated to how designers are confronting today’s urgent global challenges and reimagining modes of living. Rooted in sustainable practice and an appreciation for minimalism, the designer’s work demonstrates how textile waste can be given a second life through intuitive, hands-on creativity. His knotting process, paired with the simple, open structure of the stool, brings a personal and tactile dimension to the design, suggesting that sustainability begins with small, intentional gestures. ‘Knots Stool is more than just a piece of furniture — it’s a call to rethink waste and embrace sustainable living in the simplest way possible,’ he notes.

Tan Wei Xiang completes Knots Stool | image by Tan Wei Xiang