If your outside space calls for tables and chairs that are durable, lightweight and easy to maintain, recycled plastic garden furniture is one of the most practical solutions. It’s rare to see the words ‘chic’ and ‘plastic’ in the same sentence, and recycled must mean a sludgy greyish-brown, bulky kind that’s not particularly elegant, right? Apparently not.
The rate at which virgin plastic continues to be produced is to put it lightly, incomprehensible (in 2022 the world produced 400.3 million metric tons). Any suggestion that recycling plastic into new products will solve the problem is still hotly debated, yet new applications for reusing the material appear to be booming. Outdoor furniture is one of them.
As you’ll see here, recycled plastic garden furniture is taking a surprisingly stylish turn with many designs good enough to use inside the home as well as outdoors. Time to throw open the doors and take the living room outside.
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Recycled plastic outdoor stools and end tables
Normann Copenhagen has won awards for this slick minimalist, multifunctional piece, which serves as an indoor-outdoor stool or end table. Designer Simon Legald drew inspiration from classic monoliths and columns to create its sculptural design. Made from 100% recycled household and industrial waste, it has a terrazzo-style appearance. As a result, it’s available in lots of colours from Made in Design.
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Plastic garden chairs with a twist
Looking to bring some sculptural flair to the garden? Enter the Kartell Masters chair designed by Philippe Starck. Flaunting an elegant, branch-like design inspired by the classic bentwood Thonet chairs, it’s stackable, versatile and feels equally at home indoors or out. It comes in a variety of colours and crafted from robust recycled polypropylene, boasts simplicity whilst also being distinctive. Available at John Lewis and Heal’s.
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Furniture from recycled ocean waste plastic
Mater’s award-winning Ocean Collection table and chair is rather surprisingly, a rework of an old design from 1955, brought up to date with a circular design model. Crafted from ocean waste plastic and recycled plastic (PP), this innovative design allows for disassembly, giving each component the potential for a second or third life. This ensures every part can be recycled. Available at Nordic Nest.
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Recycled plastic canvas chairs
Perfect for basking on the patio, Aperol spritz in hand, the Desert Series of chairs by Ferm Living offer an alternative to bulky style loungers. Made in Denmark from powder coated steel and recycled plastic, each chair has a hand woven canvas made from 55 plastic bottles and there are matching cushions too. Available to buy at dotmaison.
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Statement dining suite in sunny yellow
Bring a burst of colour and joy to your patio space with this vibrant outdoor furniture set by Tiptoe. Recycled industrial waste form the seat and back, while powder coated steel constructs the base (and dining table). Specially treated for outdoor use with high-end anti-corrosion and anti-UV treatments, the inviting bright sunshine yellow promises to draw you outdoors this summer. Available from Made in Design.
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Recycled plastic children’s chair
With the aim of finding an alternative to the sludgy grey colours of conventional recycled plastic, Belgian brand ecoBirdy spent two years developing a patented material they call ecothylene®. The colour derives from its source material, reducing any need for added pigments and consequently making it 100% recyclable.
The range for kids also includes a table, portable lamp and Kiwi bird shaped portable container, all suitable for indoors or out. Pictured is the award-winning kids Charlie Chair in Strawberry, available from Finnish Design Shop.
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Recycled plastic bottle hammock
Get ready for stargazing with the Path Hammock by Ferm Living. Ordinarily, a hammock is not one you can leave outdoors… uncovered… especially in the UK. You can at least, easily stow it away until long summer afternoons call for a siesta in the shade. Additionally, it’s made from recycled PET yarn spun from post-consumer plastic, making it ultra durable. Read more about its production here.
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Recycled plastic outdoor armchairs
Houe crafts their ReClips recycled plastic chairs from thermo-lacquered aluminum and recycled household waste collected in Denmark. Hence the name, the seat slats ‘clip’ on and off, so you can mix and match for a customised look. Shop the ReClips range at Made in Design.
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Bell stackable recycled garden chair
Bell Chair is a stackable, lightweight chair designed by Konstantin Grcic for Italian brand Magis. The company uses industrial waste from its production facilities and the local car industry to make them. Using a process of injection moulding makes it very quick to produce and Magis make it from 100% recycled polypropylene, so it’s completely recyclable. All in all a win-win. Available in a range of colours from Finnish Design Shop.
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Recycled plastic vintage classic
The Navy 111 Chair is modelled on the on the original 1006 Navy chair made from recycled aluminium. This chair was first built for use on submarines in 1944 and has been in continuous production ever since.
For this vintage classic, Pennsylvania furniture company Emeco collaborated with Coca-Cola to create the same design from 111 recycled plastic bottles. The chair is suitable for outdoor use and it’s available in Persimmon orange, Red, Grass and White. Available at TwentyTwentyOne.
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Beanbags from recycled sails
Sail into relaxation, with this unique example of recycled outdoor furniture by Dvelas, the delightfully squishy Génois beanbag. They make them from upcycled boat sail fabric so they’re super hardwearing, and weatherproof – not to mention comfortable, whether seated indoors or out.
Dvelas is a Spanish furniture company founded by architect Enrique Kahle Olaso. Famed for making the most of redundant polyester boat sails that are no longer fit for purpose, Dvelas has created a range of designs that upcycle the fabric to its full potential – check them out!
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