Swedish designer Gustaf Westman teamed up with hosiery brand Swedish Stockings to design a limited-edition table collection made from recycled tights.
Called “Tights to Tables,” each piece in the collection is made using 80 to 350 pairs of recycled nylon tights per table.
“The size of each piece decides how many pairs we use. Smaller tables need around 80 pairs, while larger dining tables require more tights because of their bigger size,” Swedish Stockings CEO Linn Frisinger told Dezeen.
The tights are shredded and combined with recycled glass fiber to create a strong material used for building the tables.
“We grind the tights and mix them with recycled glass fiber. The mixture is then pressed into cylinder molds, polished, and hand-sanded,” Frisinger explained.
“The terrazzo-like pattern on each table is one of a kind, as the pieces of tights become visible within the glass fiber,” Frisinger added.
The collection, consisting of five tables, was handcrafted at the Swedish Stockings warehouse in Köping, Sweden.
Swedish Stockings compared the design process to making fiberglass tanks, but the sanding and finishing of the tables were done completely by hand.
The brand drew inspiration from Earth’s natural resources, especially stones and marble, to design the collection.
According to Swedish Stockings, “Tights to Tables” symbolizes their commitment to preserving the planet’s limited resources.
In 2016, the brand launched its Recycling Club to gather old tights from any brand and repurpose them into new products.
“We aimed to prevent nylons from ending up in landfills, so we launched our take-back program, allowing customers to return their old tights from any brand,” Frisinger said.
The Recycling Club shows how to close the loop on textiles by transforming used nylon stockings into durable products.
“We wanted to demonstrate that you can extend the lifespan of tights by creating pieces that can last in your home for decades,” Frisinger concluded.