Recycled plastic panel aliens take over Furnitex.

When designer, Edie Kurzer set about creating her outdoor seat titled ‘Little Alien’ for Furnitex, she chose Plaspanel® recycled plastic panels. Edie, who is currently completing final year at RMIT (Furniture Design), believes there is a fast-growing awareness amongst designers to develop products in a more responsible and sustainable way. She was impressed that Plaspanel is a ‘closed-loop’ recycled product - the panels are manufactured from recycled products and can themselves be recycled. It is the only product of its type in Australia.

As Edie puts it, “I believe in the functionality of the object when it comes to furniture design, but I like to think laterally about that function in order to find an imaginative and playful design solution”. Plaspanel gave her great flexibility as well as unsurpassed functionality. Plaspanel sheets are waterproof so they do not rot, swell, delaminate, deteriorate or absorb moisture. The non-stick surface cleans easily and is difficult to graffiti. They are rustproof, chemical, bacteria and mould resistant. And what’s more, Plaspanel is easy to work with and can be cut, routered, welded, drilled and mechanically fixed with standard tools, plus it’s lighter than plywood.

“I like to use organic shapes. I wasn’t trying to create an imposing piece of outdoor furniture, but something with a playful charm. The curves of the Little Alien seat are meant to invite an imaginative response: you can sit with your legs through the hollow in the centre, you can straddle it or put your feet up and lean back on the backrests.” At this stage, it is only a prototype but it would be perfect for childcare centres or playground areas especially when Plaspanel release the new range of colours. So look out, you never know where those Little Aliens could take over next.