Ideally, we want our furniture to be long-lasting, good-looking, functional, recyclable, lightweight, easy to assemble, and – last but not least – affordable. Traditional products usually check only a few of these boxes at a time, but it seems that a better solution has finally been found: LinumTube furniture.
Created through a collaboration between Germany’s Studio Jonathan Radetz and Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut (WKI), this modern seating furniture is designed to be simple and contribute to the circular economy.
LinumTube products consist of just two components: a set of steel tubes and a sturdy four-layer fabric cover made of flax fibers. The fabric is 3.3 mm thick and features 40-mm-wide tunnels for the steel tubes.
Flax fiber fabric is extracted from the stem of the flax plant, and is known for being durable, lightweight, and having a glossy texture. It is stronger and less elastic than cotton, making it an ideal material for furniture covers. The fabric is produced in one piece, which means nothing needs to be sewn together. The only additional step is finishing the edges.
Fraunhofer WKI/Manuela Lingnau
Building the steel tube sections doesn’t require much effort either. Nothing has to be glued or bolted together, and no complicated Ikea-style instructions take up your entire afternoon. The system works on simple “plug-in-system” principles: the steel components are easily pushed into one another and can be combined in different ways.
The fabric is simply fitted over the tubes, and the tension creates a stable self-supporting piece. All components can be easily disassembled without damage, allowing them to be reused and rearranged as many times as needed.
These features also make it possible to adjust the furniture’s dimensions. For example, the seating area can be expanded and the backrest can be shortened, or vice versa. And instead of buying a new furniture piece, you can convert your chair into a bench or sofa using the same components. At the end of their useful life, all the parts can be sorted by material and recycled.
Fraunhofer WKI/Manuela Lingnau
Despite its minimalist concept, this furniture doesn’t look boring at all. The covers are available with or without fringes, and in both multi-colored and natural pastel tones. The seating surface might seem too firm for extended use, but this was considered as well, and there is an option with a lamellar structure that provides extra cushioning.
The steel structures also come in different variations, including round or square tubes and a wide selection of legs. There are some extra features too, such as removable LED strips that can be threaded through the fabric for a cozier atmosphere.
Currently, LinumTube furniture exists only as a research project and has been showcased at various design exhibitions. The project team has expressed ambitions to develop industrial production in the future, but as of now there is no information on when (and if) it might become available on the commercial market.
Source: Fraunhofer
