Aram Gallery spotlights a pioneering material that could be upholstered furniture’s less toxic future

For the uninitiated, polyurethane foam, long the default in upholstered furniture, actually carries a heavy environmental toll, from its petrochemical origins to landfill persistence. Increasingly, designers and manufacturers are questioning its ubiquity, recognising both ecological costs and creative limitations.

Thankfully, a new generation of makers is embracing responsible alternatives that align sustainability with design excellence. At London Design Festival (and until 1 November 2025) Aram Gallery presents ‘Beyond Foam', an exhibition curated by Yash Shah’s research start-up EcoLattice. Showcasing EcoLattice’s pioneering 3D-printed lattice foam replacement, the presentation invites eight UK-based designers to experiment with the material, illustrating how easily this innovation can be embraced by the industry.

Beyond Foam: EcoLattice's innovation at Aram Gallery

The origins of EcoLattice are as compelling as its innovation. While studying at Central Saint Martins, Shah sought to confront the global pollution crisis, identifying the widespread use of polyurethane foam in sofas, cars and trainers – a toxic, near-unrecyclable material entrenched in everyday life.

Thus he conceived EcoLattice as a university project: a 3D-printed alternative crafted from elastomers, including those found in TPU phone cases and automotive waste. Beyond its design versatility, the material stands out for its recyclability, scalability and affordability, all qualities that position it as a viable replacement for one of design’s most damaging staples.

For the exhibition, Shah invited eight emerging product designers – Arianna Kilachand, Harinad PM, Maria Bravo, Richard Price, Rupert Warries, Shivangi Vasudeva, Tom Howell-Jones and Tomas Thorsson, to experiment with EcoLattice.

'The breakthrough of EcoLattice’s 3D-printed lattice foam replacement comes from working hand-in-hand with designers and manufacturers,' says Shah. 'Designers push our material to its creative and technical limits, showing us applications we’d never have imagined on our own. Manufacturing and scaling those ideas into real-world products and proving they can be produced responsibly at volume.'

The highlights include: ‘Eco Fidget’, a cluster of chairs that transforms the once-frowned-upon act of fidgeting into a tool for stress relief; ‘Évoque’, a sleek lounger designed for effortless repose; ‘CorpusForma’, a spine-inspired seat that adapts to multiple modes of sitting; and EcoLattice’s reinterpretation of the classic ‘Bibendum’ chair by Eileen Gray (Aram holds the global head licence for Gray’s designs), and more.

Adding an immersive layer to the showcase, exhibition designer and co-curator Nina Zenhäusern has conceived a dedicated 'Material Playground', inviting visitors to touch, test, and experience EcoLattice’s foam replacement firsthand.

'Modern furniture foam has several environmental drawbacks, including poor biodegradability leading to greater landfill, as well as chemical emissions while in use,' says Daniel Aram, managing director of Aram. 'Alternatives have been developed over recent years, and EcoLattice’s solution is the latest in these developments. I feel that showcasing this new design technology from young, innovative designers is at the heart of what Aram’s gallery should be doing, and hopefully this will lend a helping hand on the long road in persuading manufacturers to experiment in moving away from today’s polyurethane foams to a more sustainable alternative.'

Beyond Foam is on view at Aram Gallery until 11 November 2025, aram.co.uk