Fun and sustainable 3D-printed desk accessories as Pearson Lloyd adds to ‘bFriends‘ series for Bene

From pen pots to stackable wildlife: new ‘bFriends’ bioplastic desk accessories from Pearson Lloyd for Bene

3D-printed desk accessoris including a fruit bowl, pen pots and vase clips, part of the bFriends collection by Pearson Lloyd for Bene
Items from Pearson Lloyd's ‘bFriends’ collection for Bene, including vases, desk pots, clips and stands
(Image credit: Courtesy Pearson Lloyd)

Pearson Lloyd’s 25 years of design have seen the London-based studio collaborate on projects with partners from Knoll to the NHS, finding solutions to everyday problems in design. Its ‘bFriends’ collection of home and office accessories for workplace design specialist Bene and 3D-printed using recycled bioplastics, earned a Red Dot Design Award 2022. Now, Pearson Lloyd and Bene have teamed up to introduce 12 new additions to the nifty and colourful accessories collection. 

‘bFriends’ 3D-printed desk accessories

Each item in the ‘bFriends’ series is 3D-printed by London-based Batch.Works, and is made entirely from PLA (polylactic acid), a non-oil-based bioplastic. The material, which is derived from cornstarch, uses 65 per cent less energy in its production and generates 68 per cent fewer greenhouse gases than conventional plastics. The bioplastic can be recycled for reuse, and Batch.Works’ 3D-printing facilities are wind-powered, adding further credentials to the sustainability-focused production model. 

3D-printed animal shaped desk toys

Animal-shaped accessories from the ‘bFriends’ collection by Pearson Lloyd for Bene

(Image credit: Courtesy Pearson Lloyd)

Each new item in the collection comes in an array of upbeat colours and the designs span plant pots, coin collectors, trays and desk organisers. Small clips serve to hold together slender vases in a group display, while pen pots are designed to allow office accessories to be clipped and slotted into them. A menagerie of whimsical, animal-inspired desk adornments including giraffes, crocodiles and elephants, adds fun to the collection.

The 'bFriends’ home and desk accessories series demonstrates the experimentation facilitated by fast-moving 3D-printing production lines. With the printers accessible in offices, prototype stages are much more malleable, and in this case, have helped enable the sense of playfulness evident in Pearson Lloyd’s designs. 

pearsonlloyd.com
batch.works
bene.com

vases

Vases held by clips from the ‘bFriends’ collection

(Image credit: Courtesy Pearson Lloyd)

plant pots

Plant pots from the ‘bFriends’ collection

(Image credit: Courtesy Pearson Lloyd)

Martha Elliott is the Junior Digital News Editor at Wallpaper*. After graduating from university she worked in arts-based behavioural therapy, then embarked on a career in journalism, joining Wallpaper* at the start of 2022. She reports on art, design and architecture, as well as covering regular news stories across all channels.