ecoBirdy
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ecoBirdy redesigns discarded plastic into sustainable and ergonomic furniture. The brand offers aesthetic and functional designs for kids and grown-ups. ecoBirdy has been acknowledged by B Corporation for its social and environmental responsibility.
ecoBirdy was born in 2016 as a research project on plastic consumer goods, and how to recycle plastic toys sustainably. The two-year research was supported by the European Union Commission.
Based in Antwerp, Belgium, founders and designers Vanessa Yuan and Joris Vanbriel come from different cultural backgrounds. After gaining several professional experiences in diverse fields of the international fashion and design industry, they found they share a vision to create solutions for environmental problems using innovative technologies.
ecoBirdy created a patented system that starts with the collection of old, unused plastic toys, passes through the recycling phase and ends with the design and production of pieces of furniture. This results in a new recycled and recyclable plastic material called ecothylene®. It has an ergonomic design, a new application of material, an innovative production process and an aesthetic impression. The Charlie Chair, Luisa Table, Rhino Lamp and Kiwi Container, along with a school programme and the story book “Journey to a New Life” were designed with an educational purpose in mind, to get youngsters engaged with sustainability.
Today ecoBirdy is not solely a children’s design brand, as its Lounge Collection and Tableware – Richard Armchair, Judy Side Table, Frost Table and Mabo Plate – have initiated an ethical “grown-up” line to home décor, proving that upcycled plastic waste can fit any needs.
Each step is based on social and environmental responsibility, the design and production are all done between Belgium and Italy.
Ecothylene®
A new safe and sustainable recycling process was studied for two years by ecoBirdy, resulting in a colourful and recyclable material called ecothylene® . Through a craftsmanship method that takes up to ten times longer than the usual production techniques, household plastic is repurposed to create beautiful and tasteful design pieces that do not require any pigment addition. Each product is unique thanks to the unrepeatable pattern obtained by different particles of plastics that authentically resemble a terrazzo or marble texture. The iconic speckled look that appears on most of ecoBirdy’s design products makes the source material visible, giving value to plastic waste’s repurposed beauty.
Locally-made production
Designers Vanessa Yuan and Joris Vanbriel are committed to making changes at all levels of the supply chain. Therefore, they have chosen to raise awareness regarding the reuse of plastic resources and to increase ecoBirdy’s social responsibility. By collecting plastic waste in schools and companies, and by unpacking and selecting it in a sheltered workshop, ecoBirdy empowers local communities. Their ethos is also reflected in ecoBirdy’s production, which is entirely based in Italy and Belgium to support fair labour.
Certification, awards, and museum recognitions
In recognition of its vision and mission, ecoBirdy was honoured to be named as a Certified B Corporation in 2019 and in the following year, it was awarded the label of Efficient Solution by the Solar Impulse Foundation. ecoBirdy’s products have been exhibited in several museums around the world, from the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum in New York to the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna and the Design Museum Brussels in Belgium. The complete range of ecoBirdy’s kids’ collection is included in the permanent collection of the Young Victoria & Albert Museum in London. In 2018 the brand won the Outstanding Design and Innovation Award at the Good Design Award, Australia, and in 2019 the German Design Award in the Product Design category. Lastly, in 2021, ecoBirdy’s Charlie Chair was selected for the German Sustainability Design Award in the Pioneer category.
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