Our Favourite Eco Designers

Everyone here at Empatika, especially Tristan our Founder, has a passion for eco design. We believe it’s the future, and hopefully interior designers and furniture makers across the world will soon be designing spaces and fixtures where the environment comes first.

Using sustainable materials is integral to the concept of eco design. The environmental impact of everything involved in the making of something is considered in eco design: the sustainability or recyclable properties of the materials, and the processes used to put it all together. If you’re an eco design fan check out some of our other blogs where we’ve featured inspiring designs from around the world, such as an innovative car made from hemp and a student’s home design which has no environmental impact whatsoever.

Design is everywhere, which means everything we use can be better designed to consider its environmental impact. We love following eco designers who focus on everyday items around the home – read on for some of our favourites and get inspired!

Oliver Heath

This man is a leader in the field on eco interior design, and the world is definitely starting to sit up and take notice because of his designs. Oliver is also an advocate for biophilic design, and implements the principles of biophilic design in homes, offices and public spaces around the UK.

Oliver is an authorative voice in the world of eco design, and often appears on TV home and interiors shows. Tristan knows Oliver and he even wrote the foreword to his book, Furniture for the Future.

http://www.oliverheath.com/

Sarah Turner

What happens when eco design and art come together? Sarah has always been passionate about designing and making products from waste materials, and started to collect thousands of plastic bottles to turn them into something useful. She makes beautiful lampshades from this waste plastic, and the intricate pieces of art are unrecognisable – you’d never believe they were made from rubbish. Sarah’s eco lighting has been exhibited all over the world.

http://www.sarahturner.co.uk/

Max McMurdo

This guy came to the attention of the design world when he bravely faced the dragons on Dragon’s Den back in 2007. He pitched his eco-friendly furniture design business and won the support of two business partners. Concerned about our consumption levels, Max makes beautiful home furnishings from discarded products, taking upcycling to a whole new level. Think using bath tubs as sofas and a washing machine drum as a table!

http://www.maxmcmurdo.co.uk/

Studio 180˚

Denise and Ladina, the faces behind Studio 180˚, are making this list for their natural, chemical-free furniture.  They design products which are completely organic, made from plant and animal based materials which are designed to last forever. Of course, they are totally healthy to have in your home and a great alternative to products manufactured with chemicals.

http://www.studio180degree.com/transofa

Image via http://www.homesandproperty.co.uk/home-garden/design-news/london-design-festival-2012-our-essential-guide

Rupert Blanchard

London based designer Rupert Blanchard makes stunning furniture made completely from other people’s scrap. So many people throw away perfectly good furniture, and even if it’s a bit old and battered Rupert has the talent to completely transform it into something hip and fresh.

http://www.rupertblanchard.com/

Image via http://moreintelligentlife.com/content/lifestyle/georgia-grimond/man-suit-rupert-blanchard

So there you have our pick of the UK’s top eco designers – who is your favourite? Did we miss any off the list? Let us know!