Muuto - Fiber Recycled Plastic

First introduced in 2014, the Fiber Chair, designed by Iskos-Berlin, was born from a wish to do a forward-thinking take on the archetypal shell chair.

Now, we are introducing the new generation of the Fiber Chair. The Fiber Armchair and Side Chair without upholstery now uses a minimum of 80% recycled plastic.

80% RECYCLED PLASTIC

The Fiber Armchair and Side Chair without upholstery uses a minimum of 80% recycled plastic. By substituting at least 80% of the virgin plastic in the production of its shell, we minimise the use of new material, instead of reusing existing material a second time around.

A REDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

TThe Fiber Chair is an essential part of our product portfolio. Transforming our production of it is, therefore, an ambitious starting point in becoming more circular in our consumption of raw material. In fact, by switching to recycled plastic we expect to save more than 50 tons of virgin plastic in 2022.

SO WHY NOT 100% RECYCLED PLASTIC?

Well, the answer is rather simple. 

Recycled plastic is often of a lower strength grade. This is due to re-granulation of the material — when plastic is recycled, it is cut into smaller pieces in order to be able to mold new parts out of it. The cutting weakens the strength of the plastic.

To ensure that the design is long-lasting, virgin plastic with strength improving additives are combined with the recycled material, enabling high durability.

To us it is a reasonable trade-off — creating a highly durable chair that will last for years to come, still using at least 80% recycled plastic. We believe that this will impact the environment less than creating a more frail chair with a shorter lifespan made in 100% recycled plastic.

Creating a long-lasting design is not only about durability and strength but also the longevity of its aesthetics. The amount of color pigment needed depends on the initial color of the recycled plastic. The initial color of recycled plastic is often a range of grayish tones. To add color to the material, virgin plastic is used as a carrier of pigment. The more color pigment needed the higher amount of virgin plastic needed.

The unique colorway and shape of the Fiber Chair are truly emblematic of its design. We have been developed a recycled plastic material that allows us to create a chair with the same iconic Muuto colors, design and durability – all while keeping a significant percentage of recycled matter in each seat.