At Vitra, materials are a preeminent concern as their sourcing, processing and use in products constitute about 55% of the company’s overall carbon footprint. That is why Vitra strives to utilise materials that are as sustainable and low impact as possible. Materials are continuously analysed, and production methods monitored and evaluated by independent external institutions. If a new material is found that is better for the environment, meets Vitra’s quality criteria and upholds its stringent tests, suitable products are executed in that material. Sometimes changes and new developments are visible from the outside, and sometimes they happen inside a product, hidden from the eye of the user.

In the last years, Vitra has been putting special focus on recycled materials. Why? Vitra believes that waste should be treated as a valuable raw material and that it should be kept in the loop and reused to create long-lasting products. Recycling is far from being a perfect solution as it is energy-intensive and presents logistical challenges, but it provides an opportunity to re-insert non-renewable resources back into the loop and create new value from waste material that would otherwise be burnt or discarded.

Some of the recycled materials that Vitra has been working with include recycled plastics such as in the Eames Plastic Chair RE, Tip Ton RE or HAL RE chair families and selected accessories. Recycled polyester is also the basis for some of Vitra’s newest textiles in the portfolio, like Laser RE or Reflect. In addition, the company is re-thinking its approach to working with leather, starting to use its own leather waste for the production of accessories and bonded leather products like Repad and switching to more sustainable tanning processes. Vitra is also conducting research in the field of biomaterials and non-animal based leather alternatives, although no material has yet proved suitable.

Selecting the right materials is only one aspect of sustainable product development and only makes sense in combination with a circular design approach where materials are combined to guarantee separability, longevity and timeless design.