EcoSystems Furniture
by Laura Neilson
This past weekend's Bklyn Designs show was host to an array of local designers and manufacturers, including EcoSystems brand bamboo furniture. The green-minded company utilizes a innovative tool-free assembly system that relies on interlocking aluminum pieces rather than nuts, bolts and screws, allowing for construction of the brand's modern-looking Bamba chair in a matter of minutes—a godsend for the Ikea-weary.
In addition to flat-pack shipping, the downtown Brooklyn-based company implements region-specific production on large orders to reduce fuel waste and excessive shipping costs. EcoSystems' sustainable materials include bamboo plywood (not only a rapidly-renewable resource but also an incredibly durable one), as well as biodegradable fabrics and foam, easily-recycled aluminum hardware and plant-based clear wood finishes.
Other than their spare collection of well-conceived chairs, benches and side-tables, EcoSystems also fabricates made-to-order custom pieces, including the interior furnishings and curvaceous recycled plywood chairs (pictured above) for Soho's Ion Hair Salon, dubbed as New York's first "eco-salon."