Designer Hee Welling spent roughly a whole year researching the right materials for his latest products, the plastic Rely chair. What he settled with? Old car interiors and other plastic materials from post-industrial waste. The two were then crushed into small pieces and mixed with different colours to get moulded into the shape of the seat. The Rely chair’s shell is made out of 100% recycled plastic, and is another great product that surfs the current sustainable wave in design.
Speaking of which, the upholstered version of the chair is also designed with a sustainable mindset. The upholstery is fully replaceable and does not use any glue, allowing users to change worn-out textiles without ruining the base of the chair. This means that the lifespan of the chair is not limited to one generation.
— When creating a design with a simple visual expression, the details become extremely important because there’s so much focus on them. Yet the amazing thing is that when everything — comfort, construction, function, choice of materials, production method, environment and ergonomics — is balanced together, such details slot seamlessly into place, Hee Welling explains about the Rely chair.
Welling’s designs are no strangers to minimalism. The simple and honest design approach is influenced by the outdoors, and his distinct expression has made his products appear in many museums and exhibitions, as well as the Oslo Opera House and Australia’s parliament. Who knows where the Rely chair will end up, but the many colour options and versatile shell certainly aren’t limitive.
