The Dubai-based furniture supplier Chelsea Green is collaborating with Normann Copenhagen to launch Mat. This chair collection ingeniously leverages highly renewable, durable materials of hemp and eelgrass, a type of seaweed, as superior alternatives to traditional 3D shell chair materials. The name Mat is a reference to the material innovation at the core of its design.
Rooted in the principles of reduce, re-use, and recycle, the Mat collection aims to revolutionize conventional furniture production methods by minimizing environmental impact, repurposing production waste, and facilitating end-of-life recycling. Designed by Danish design studio Foersom & Hiort-Lorenzen, this new chair design results from years of research and development.
CEO and Co-founder of Normann Copenhagen, Jan Andersen, explains: “When Foersom & Hiort-Lorenzen approached us with their hemp chair project, we were immediately curious, embarking on a journey with their team, alongside hemp specialists from the Danish Technological Institute. The story of replacing plastic with natural hemp fibers symbolizes a shift towards sustainability, innovation, and a deeper understanding of our connection with nature. It illustrates how small steps can lead to significant changes and, hopefully, inspire an industry to think greener.”
Jennie Stallings, Partner at ChelseaGREEN added: “Sustainability and social responsibility are central to our values, and we are passionate about working with brands who share the same commitment. With innovation, circularity and responsibility at its core, we are proud to introduce Mat in the Middle East. We have seen increasing demand for environmentally-responsible furniture products that don’t compromise on quality or durability. With Mat, commercial and residential customers can enjoy a stylish shell chair with materials that have a lower environmental impact than the industry norm.”
Harnessing the power of hemp and eelgrass
The shell of the Mat Chair is innovatively crafted using hemp and eelgrass, a type of seaweed. The materials constitute the very essence of the design. Not only do the materials provide a more responsible product, but they also play a key role in the aesthetic of the design, highlighting the natural beauty and tactility of the materials.
Hemp
For thousands of years, hemp has been recognized for its resilience, durability and versatility. A rapidly renewable crop, it is widely considered an environmentally friendly natural resource. It requires minimal water and zero pesticides, and fertilizers, and grows at extreme speed, enabling it to be harvested every season. In addition, it absorbs carbon dioxide, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Hemp’s CO2 absorption varies based on growth conditions, but studies indicate a hectare of hemp can capture about 15 tons of CO2 in one season. This emphasizes hemp’s potential as a tool for carbon sequestration and reducing overall CO2 footprints. The hemp used for Mat Chair is sourced from near-market regions. The plant is grown for use in the food and pharma industries, who utilize the plant’s leaves and seeds. The stems, known for their remarkable resilience, have commonly been used for the textile industry, and now also for the Mat Chair.
Eelgrass
Still a widely overlooked material in almost every industry, eelgrass, a type of seaweed, possesses numerous qualities that also make it an ideal resource for furniture making. In Denmark, more specifically on the island of Læsø, there has been a century-long tradition of using the extremely resilient seaweed species as a roofing material. The natural plant absorbs significant amounts of CO2 and is known to be a strong and highly durable material with a low environmental impact and carbon emission output.
Eelgrass is extremely important for the underwater ecosystem and so harvesting it would mean removing a vital resource from ocean. Instead, the eelgrass that naturally washes ashore the coastline of Denmark is collected and dried, making sure not to disrupt the plant’s essential function in its natural environment.
For the production of the Mat Chair, the dried eelgrass, in combination with the milled hemp fibers, offers a grainy expression, exposing the natural beauty and tactility of the materials.
Normann Copenhagen’s Mat Chair collection includes a dining chair with two shell typologies, a barstool in two heights, a bar chair in two heights and a bar armchair in two heights, all available with a hemp shell or a hemp shell with added eelgrass, as well as with front or full upholstery. The base is crafted using powder coated steel and is available in two timeless colors of black or cream.
Product enquiries and orders:
+971 4566 7393
info@chelseagreen.net
