People are becoming increasingly aware of how important it is to pursue an economy that is as circular as possible. As? By reducing waste, reusing products as much as possible and transforming waste into a resource.
There is an award-winning English designer, Henry Swanzy, who has a passion for creating functional alternatives to traditional furnishings. Her thing? The study of how to "convert" the waste flow of local businesses to obtain a source of raw materials to use in its new products. Today we talk about him and his "last-born", the acoustic coverings called HexBix.
Those who learn to create learn to re-create
According to Swanzy, sensitivity to sustainability is learned from an early age. Her curiosity abouthandicraft she took her first steps in her father's garage-laboratory, and was enriched with the contribution of an older sister, researcher and ethologist. These two factors have produced a truly unique mix: creativity and awareness of our impact as a species on the planet.
Over time, the designer began to apply the principles of sustainability to all his creations: he created a site, Less is more, which combines his own design and sustainability. And today he developed these HexBix tiles that caught my attention.
Acoustic coatings that reconcile with the world
HexBix is a soundproofing system that is pleasant in shape, but above all in the message it carries. It was born from the observation that Swanzy himself made waste from furniture manufacturing. Quite a lot of wood chips that the planer continually throws out. “What could we do?” He called himself the designer.
The stroke of genius was crossing this material with another waste material. A few miles from him, in Cornwall, a producer called Chocolate maker provided him with the ideal complement, in the form of cocoa bean peels.
The process to make HexBix is minimal. The two waste materials are filtered to make them more homogeneous (and reduce the glue). The bonding agent used is PVA. On an environmental level it is considered a fairly "good" glue and, in the right conditions, it biodegrades completely. Swany, however, wants to do better, and is exploring natural starches.
HexBix: soundproofing & sustainability
At their launch (last month at Clerkenwell Design Week in London) the HexBix tiles received a very positive response. Professionals and end customers have become interested in the product and have already placed orders for the furnishing, decoration and soundproofing of commercial and hospitality businesses.
What to say: the refusal now attracts attention. Even more: it is not waste, but a "different raw material". So much the better: it's wonderful to find a beautiful object where previously there was waste.
Good work, Henry!
