LightArt has introduced pendants made with reclaimed ocean plastic. The new fixtures are the first 100 percent recycled pieces in the Coil Collection. Building on the popular original line, which features 3D-printed fixtures crafted with internal waste, these pendants take the brand’s sustainability impact even further — each piece diverts up to one pound of waste from the waters.
Looking from land to sea was the next logical step in the Coil evolution. “Debris going into waterways is a global problem, and this was the next challenge that we put to the forefront,” said Adam Reeder, LightArt’s vice president.
LightArt partnered with Oceanworks, an organization that features a marketplace for sustainable materials. This environmental organization collaborates with suppliers to retrieve just a fraction of the eight million metric tons of plastic that end up in the world’s seas each year. The Coil Collection’s ocean-bound material comes from two sources: mismanaged plastic waste within 31 miles of the coastline, while the near-shore refuse is plastic collected close to land.
Reeder noted that the development of the latest Coils, from testing to finished product, took about 12 months in total, a relatively short timeline considering some trials that the LightArt team had never encountered before. Oceanworks was the ideal collaborator, because even though it was the group’s first time working with a lighting manufacturer, their operations were aligned with LightArt’s vision. “Oceanworks not only captures the material, they then sort it and pelletize it. There can be significant barriers to incorporating it during the manufacturing process, and the fact that it was part of their strategy allowed us to get to our goal of a 100 percent recycled product.”
Utilizing polypropylene also presented unexpected challenges in the design phase. For the previous collections, resin was upcycled into 3D-printed cone-like fixtures with a matte, pottery-like finish. When they tried to replicate the same printing process with the thermoplastic polymer, they encountered unforeseen difficulties. Rather than mimic the original look, the LightArt team decided to let the material dictate the form of two pendants — Sea Foam and Seagrass.
A soft white fixture, Sea Foam is made entirely from ocean-bound matter, such as single-use plastic bags and water bottles. The spherical fixture is available in both large and small sizes, suitable in a singular placement or in a clustered arrangement. Reeder said that creating a crystalline-like shade was anything but simple. “There are a lot of paths to take to make a recycled product, but for it to be translucent, that’s an incredibly complex thing to do. So many things can be introduced that obscure the material. Arriving at something that is translucent and can be illuminated is a huge source of pride for us.”
While Sea Foam is not totally clear, it still casts a softer light that specifiers want, particularly in hospitality settings. “It’s not like a true glass, it does have some cloudiness to it because of the recycled story. The fact that we can, for the most part, keep it free from additional imperfections or speckling is really remarkable,” Reeder said. “The compromise is that while it doesn’t have a glass clarity, we have converted single-use waste. And when it is illuminated it just diffuses the light marvelously.”
Sea Foam’s sister pendant, Seagrass, is a teardrop-shaped fixture made with near-shore plastic, which includes fishing nets, trawls, and ropes. Seagrass is notable for its deep green hue. As Reeder noted, this pendant takes the tint of the plastic in its former life. “The color literally comes from the nets that you see caught on the rocks. It’s easy for people to make the connection to that specific green and where it came from.”
The verdant shade complements LightArt’s signature earthy hues. “We have many naturals, ceramic-inspired gray, white, and clay that we are known for. This was a new color for us, and we felt that it was one that we needed,” Reeder explained.
The Seagrass green evokes a freshness that enhances the product and celebrates sustainability. “In our Coil Collection Naturals, there’s a soy-based dye that we use to achieve a uniform color. Here, nothing else was added. The nets are ground up and presented in that form when printed. There is an undeniable visceral experience when you see it,” Reeder said.
Reeder noted that we can expect to see the same material used in different forms and more colors added to the palette. Every piece is designed to make a lasting impact. “We take this waste and transform it into a product that we all have a connection to. That’s why the Coil Collection continues to be a success, and it keeps us moving forward.”