Are you sitting comfortably? Weidmann CSM x SURU

Summary

Suru, based in Barcelona, embodies innovation and creativity. They have begun a journey to redefine the furniture and lighting industry, combining local craftsmanship with a global vision for sustainable living.

Working in partnership with Weidmann, Suru has identified the ideal base product, Maplex MD, which not only offers superior mechanical strength and dimensional stability but is also 100% biodegradable and recyclable. Maplex MD is a medium density pressboard, manufactured from non-bleached softwood cellulose and water.

Description

As a company whose ethos is based on both aesthetics and environment responsibility, Suru needed to source a substrate that fit their business and material circular innovation values.

Maplex MD is a new category of zero VOC materials created with the circular economy in mind. This high-quality fiber pressboard can be reused, re-purposed, up-cycled and recycled.

Technical Challenge

The challenge identified by Suru was to develop a product suitable for use for everyday life, a modular design, a mono-material design, and 100% biodegradable. Working with Weidmann’s R&D Department, Suru identified that Maplex MD was the best material to meet their technical needs combining superior strength with dimensional stability.

Suru also needed to source a material that could be painted or stained to protect the furniture from moisture, stains, and abrasion. The product assembly process, incorporating screws and inserts, and shipping volume using flat packing, were also key challenges to address.

Results

By using Maplex MD, Suru is able to offer a carefully crafted chair, designed for daily use, which meets the key circular economy criteria:

• Monomaterial – Maplex cellulose pressboard is durable for long-term use and can be composted/collected at the end of its life
• Biodegradable Coating – natural ingredients to retain product biodegradability
• Replaceable Components – use of screws & inserts limit material degradation, enhancing durability
• Flat-packed Shipping – the modular design allows the furniture to be disassembled & flat-packed

Conclusion

Maplex MD is a sustainable solution, made of 95% softwood kraft and 5% water, engineered only using hydrogen bonds and no resins that can be used in a range of applications including interior decorative paneling, furniture, honeycomb structures, and backing/reinforcement board.

Suru, in partnership with Weidmann, has developed a piece of furniture that reflects both companies’ commitment to using sustainable material, and showcasing how that also translates to design and lifestyle.