MATERIALS AND APPLICATIONS
RECYCLATE FOR DESIGNERS
The Aava 02 chairs collection by the Finnish designer Antti Kotilainen for Arper is made from Sirmax recycled plastic .
The Sirmax Group teamed up with Arper to create a sustainable design collection . The company based in Cittadella , near Padua , specialising in the production of polypropylene compounds , engineering polymers , post-consumer compounds and bio-compounds for every type of application , has contributed to a new chair , the Aava 02 , conceived by the Finnish designer Antti Kotilainen for Arper , a leading Italian design brand . It is a collection made from recycled post-consumer plastic com- bined with virgin polypropylene , a solution that makes the furnishing extremely resistant , versatile , light and sustainable .
FROM THE DUMPSTER TO THE LIV- ING ROOM Aava 02 marks a new step in the sustainability path undertaken by Sirmax and Arper . For Aava 02 a customised thermoplastic compound was used where the portion of post-consumer material is mainly obtained from food packaging , both flexible and rigid .
The Aava 02 chairs are made from post-consumer recycled plastic combined with virgin polypropylene
This new recycled polypropylene compound from the Sirmax Green Isoglass line , reinforced with fiberglass and virgin plastic , is extremely resistant and guarantees durability over time without affecting the high quality of finishes and colours . Each colour variant contains a different percentage of post-consumer recycled material , reaching up to 40 % in the versions in darker tones . An average of 5.6 kg of waste is used to produce 10 chairs . Post-consumer recycling is at the heart of Sirmax ’ s efforts . Backed by huge investments in research and development , the goal is to create recycled plastic with the same characteristics as virgin plastic , starting with colour , one of the most difficult elements to obtain : recycled plastic , just like paper , tends to take on a darker hue . Given the excellent colour gradation obtained thanks to this post-consumer plastic , the Aava 02 chair can be considered a major achievement , because it embodies a virtuous production path that starts from waste and arrives directly to the designer . “ We are proud of our collaboration with Arper , a company that pursues excellence and is itself an excellent partner to work with ” says Massimo Pavin , President and CEO of Sirmax Group . “ Sirmax ’ s core business is focused on household appliances and the automotive sector , but we have always had an eye also on furniture made in Italy ; thanks to Arper , we are consolidating our commitment to high-end design and we are thrilled to present the first fruit of this partnership , the Aava 02 chair .”
Italian technology plast / October 2024
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CIRCULAR DESIGN By prioritising post-consumer plastic , Aava 02 helps reduce the amount of plastic waste in the environment , ensuring a truly circular design process . This means not only less plastic in landfills , but also a significant contribution to circular economy . “ Sustainability plays a central role in our strategic vision as a brand and as a company ” comments Claudio Checchin , R & D Director of Arper . “ When we design a product , we are committed to applying every innovation we learn to the development processes , and we are always looking for better solutions to reduce our environmental footprint . Aava 02 reinterprets the previous Aava chair using an innovative post-consumer recycled plastic material . In Sirmax we have found a valuable partner , always looking for creative and functional solutions , who shares our values and sustainability goals . Goals that it pursues consistently , and which it supports with important investments for the transition from a linear economy to a circular economy .” www . plastmagazine . it