In Switzerland, design school ÉCAL has introduced a new concept in sustainable furniture: ultra-compact cellulose sponge forms, efficiency shipped in flat parcels and expanded into sturdy furnishings once at its destination.
Dubbed Under Pressure Solutions, ÉCAL claims the material can expand up to 10x its original size when soaked in water. After this step, users simply allow the sponge furniture to dry and harden.
“Cellulose is a part of nature so, like a tree, it can be flexible and strong at the same time,” ÉCAL researcher and industrial designer Christophe Guberan told Dezeen.
At the end of its usable life, UPS can also be recycled or composted. Examples, including a UPS wine rack, were displayed at the recent Milan Design Week.