SEOUL DESIGN AWARD

Introducing the Kelp Collection, where Interesting Times Gang presents a vision of what can be achieved with large-scale 3D-printed furniture made from recycled fishing nets.

Human existence is deeply dependent on the oceans and their lifeforms. Yet every year thousands of fishing nets are discarded into the depths of the Baltic Sea and the surrounding bodies of water. These ghost nets continue to cause death and destruction for fish and sea life for decades afterwards. These nets have been designed as a valuable resource with the Kelp Collection, ensuring they are not discarded into the ocean in the first place.

Interesting Times Gang used a material that combines recycled fishing nets with wood fiber, a recycled FSC-certified bi- product from the saw mill industry in Sweden. To create 3D-printed designs that can stay within the same material ecosystem once they reach the end of their life-cycle.

These objects can be ground down to create new bio-materials that can be reused again and again, to create entirely new objects within a closed design loop.

The Kelp Collection is inspired by biomimicry, emulating the forms found in ocean vegetation with natural, wave-like lines and organically swaying silhouettes. It deeply connects humans, evokes emotions, and re-establishes our bond with nature.