Hemp-Made Sustainable Chairs

The challenge is enormous

Design duo Foersom & Hiort-Lorenzen works closely with furniture imprint Normann Copenhagen on a special collection of Mat chairs. These are made from plant-based materials and showcased at Stockholm Design Week. The capsule is comprised of two chairs -- one that is made from hemp and the second blends hemp with eelgrass, which is a marine plant.

The biomaterials were used to craft a shell chair which is supported by framing at the legs formed from powder-coated steel. The prototypes were first seen in 2005 but trials only kicked off in 2008 using hemp. Hiort-Lorenzen explains, "Now, some 20 years later, the hemp material we have developed in collaboration with Normann Copenhagen is more responsible, a lot sturdier, and with a higher aesthetic appeal than any of the previous prototypes. It's a one-of-its-kind product."