During its ongoing work with Nordic research institute SINTEF into potentially suitable, post-consumer, recycled material sources local to the manufacturer, the Flokk Research & Development team obtained a batch of discarded snow plough markers. Realising their inherent strength, HÅG saw an opportunity to use the material for the Peter Opsvik designed chair, HÅG Capisco Puls, and tested out the processed poles, creating this Limited Edition of two hundred chairs in a beautifully unique Auburn colour, a result of the mixed recycled plastics.
Flokk’s Vice President of Sustainability, Atle Thiis-Messel: “We are living through a global trash crisis driven by mass consumption. As one of Europe’s leading furniture manufacturers, our team of environmental experts and designers must be inspired to use waste around them as a resource to create beautiful long-lasting products. This will in turn assist us in reaching our ambitious yearly targets to increase the use of recycled materials therefore reducing our environmental impact.
Though not yet ready for large scale production this concept acts as a mission statement of Flokk’s commitment to Circular Design."
Used to line Norway’s often snowy mountain roads, the luminous markers indicate the curbside for snow plough drivers, keeping the highways, byways and idyllic mountain roads safe. Made of a tough plastic mix capable of enduring the environment, thousands of damaged and tired snow poles are collected up and discarded each year.
Flokk and HÅG’s commitment to a Circular Economy, replacing materials wherever possible with recycled content, has been longstanding. Many products’ component parts are made of recycled plastics, aluminium and steel. If the supply of the recycled material is steady, and if the components can withstand rigorous industry-standard testing, the material is used.
Christian E. Lodgaard, Senior Vice President of Product & Brands at Flokk said; “HÅG hopes that all plastics – and many other materials - in all products will eventually be made of post-consumer material. Our chairs will withstand a long lifetime of heavy use and enhance the health of workers all around the world, then after use, they can be recycled again. This is our circular design ambition.
The snow plough markers are now in short supply as the Norwegian road administration, Statens Vegvesen has identified the environmental impact of them and acted to replace them with sustainable Norwegian pine and Danish willow wooden alternatives. For this reason, we were only able to produce a small number of the HÅG Capisco Puls from the batch we obtained. But we will continue the search for both local and global supplies of unwanted waste that can be successfully made into strong components and products, hopefully creating more opportunities for innovative recycled and recyclable materials for our products along the way…”
Where to buy the Limited Edition HÅG Capisco Puls
Just two hundred of the HÅG Capisco Puls have been manufactured from the snow plough markers, due to the size of the batch of ‘snow plough markers obtained. They come in two styles, one with a white aluminium base paired with a seat cushion fabric Bardal 620 by GU, whilst the other comes with black aluminium base with the fabric Rondo 61205 by Gabriel.
Sustainable design enthusiasts or fans of the new design (or both!) can get their hands on one of these limited-edition pieces for their home or office, by clicking the link below.
Each will be supplied with an edition number and certificate of authentication.
Please note these chairs have now SOLD OUT
