Since its beginnings in 1944, US furniture maker Emeco has been a champion of sustainable production. Its first-ever product, the Navy chair, was, and still is, made from 80 per cent recycled aluminium. Over the years, Emeco has expanded its material innovations to include reclaimed wood, recycled PET plastic, and polypropylene (not to mention initiatives such as ‘The next 150-year-old chair'), making its recent foray into upholstery a natural progression.
Emeco 'No Foam KNIT'
The present picture is bleak. Most upholstery relies on petrochemical-based foam, adhesives, and synthetic textiles that contribute to pollution, waste, and toxic emissions. Recycling is often impossible due to the mix of materials, with most ending up in landfills or incinerated. To address these issues, Emeco partnered with the Self-Assembly Lab at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to create No Foam KNIT, a fully recyclable, mono-material upholstery textile.
The project, recently showcased at the brand’s Venice Beach headquarters, Emeco House, uses an innovative 3D-knitting technique where the yarn functions as both skin and foam replacement. This soft cushioning, springy structure eliminates assembly waste by removing traditional cut-and-sew processes, and because it is made entirely from a mono-material textile, it is fully recyclable at the end of its life.
Beyond reducing the environmental footprint of upholstery, the technique opens new and exciting possibilities for manufacturing and design in terms of functionality, customisation and aesthetics – Emeco says it’s exploring how this breakthrough could influence both current products and future developments.
‘Since the 3D-knitting technology enables so many different aesthetic expressions, we see potential for numerous uses and applications,’ says Jaye Buchbinder, the brand’s head of sustainability. ‘Emeco’s North Star has always been to make more with less, and that is exactly what No Foam KNIT does. We are excited about the possibilities of this textile innovation and how it can inspire positive change in the furniture industry and beyond.’
selfassemblylab.mit.edu
emeco.net
-
These are the jewellery pieces which have defined a generationFrom established jewellery houses, to up-and coming designers and avant-garde artists, a new book by Phaidon spotlights the stand-out jewellery from the last two centuries
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekThe clocks have gone back in the UK and evenings are officially cloaked in darkness. Cue nights spent tucked away in London’s cosy corners – this week, the Wallpaper* team opted for a Latin-inspired listening bar, an underground arts space, and a brand new hotel in Shoreditch
-
How do you exhibit invisible art? A new show at Palais de Tokyo has the answer'Perfume, Sculpture of the Invisible' celebrates the work of master perfumer Francis Kurkdjian with an exhibition that activates all the scenes.
-
Lost William Morris designs are being revived and completed for a new collectionWhen The Huntington in California discovered incomplete William Morris designs in its archive, the museum partnered with Morris & Co. to bring the them to life in 'The Unfinished Works'
-
Patricia Urquiola’s immersive Kvadrat textile forest is inspired by the Nordic landscapeDuring Chart 2025, Patricia Urquiola and Danish designers Tableau team up to present a textile installation showcasing Kvadrat’s nature-inspired new collection
-
New furniture from Maiden Home elevates elemental materials through unique designFinely crafted and exquisitely formed, the New York furniture brand’s latest designs find their perfect showcase at a modernist Californian home
-
Wallpaper* USA 400: The people shaping Creative America in 2025Our annual look at the talents defining the country’s creative landscape right now
-
Workstead's lanterns combine the richness of silk with a warm glowAn otherworldly lamp collection, the Lantern series by Workstead features raw silk shades and nostalgic silhouettes in three designs
-
Can creativity survive in the United States?We asked three design powerhouses to weigh in on this political moment
-
Murray Moss: 'We must stop the erosion of our 250-year-old American culture'Murray Moss, the founder of design gallery Moss and consultancy Moss Bureau, warns of cultural trauma in an authoritarian state
-
‘You can feel their presence’: step inside the Eameses’ Pacific Palisades residenceCharles and Ray Eames’ descendants are exploring new ways to preserve the designers’ legacy, as the couple’s masterpiece Pacific Palisades residence reopens following the recent LA fires
