Creative agency Uncommon Creative Studio has produced a foldable armchair that can be used to air clothes, encouraging users to re-wear clothes rather than wash them more than necessary.
The Rewear chair, which will be on display later this month during Dutch Design Week, was developed by Uncommon Creative Studio as part of a campaign for eco-cleaning brand Ecover that aims to highlight the environmental impact of everyday activities such as doing laundry.
The custom piece is a playful reappraisal of the “laundry chair” found in many bedrooms as a place to throw worn-out clothes that aren’t dirty enough to require washing.
The designers wanted to celebrate this behavior, as skipping washes and letting clothes air out on the chair can save water and energy while making clothes last longer.
“We take a common behavior and turn it into something beautiful and intentional,” explained Nils Leonard, founder of Uncommon Creative Studio.
“An eco-friendly choice can also be the most beautiful choice, and the Rewear Chair proves that good design can help us rethink our habits for the better. This is design at its best, solving problems but also asking questions.”
The seat of the circular chair is supported by nine vertical elements, each of which includes a folding arm that can extend to provide hanging space for clothes.
The designers noted that the articulated arms can hold up to a week’s worth of clothing, “allowing clothes to air in an organized and elegant way.”
The chair is handcrafted in Dorset, England, from sustainable materials including windswept cedar, which has natural deodorizing qualities.
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The hinges are made from reclaimed ash wood and treated with natural beeswax to make the hinge movement smoother. Natural felt pad infused with cedar oil provides additional deodorizing detail.
The project is part of a wider sustainability drive by Ecover based on the findings of a report into UK washing habits developed in partnership with Falmouth University by PR agency Manifest.
The report revealed that nearly one in five adults mistakenly believe that washing clothes less does not have an impact on the planet, while one in ten feel pressured by societal norms to do laundry more frequently, despite being aware of their carbon footprint.
The Re-Wear Chair therefore aims to promote greener washing habits such as increasing the number of wears between washes, washing at lower temperatures and choosing more environmentally friendly cleaning products.
The chair will be presented at Dutch Design Week taking place in Eindhoven from 19 to 27 October 2024. Last year, the event showcased projects including a mobile set to transform unused plots of land into playgrounds.
Uncommon Creative Studio previously used AI software to reimagine UK landmarks as soulless modernist edifices to help promote Thomas Heatherwick’s Humanise campaign which aims to bring “an end to boring buildings”.
Photography and video courtesy of Ecowear.
