Taipei City-based Renato Lab is giving corrugated paperboard and retired prism sheets a new lease of life, fashioning innovative furniture and light fixtures from the discarded packaging material.
Comprising designer Henry K. T. Hsiao and environmental resources specialist Jackie Wang, the company specializes in applying cutting-edge processing technologies to create a diverse range of eco-friendly furnishings.
“Renato stands for rebirth,” Hsiao said. “We extend the life span of packaging materials while enhancing their value and minimizing waste in the production process.”
According to Hsiao, 70 per cent of the company’s products are made from recycled materials such as latex, paperboard, plastic and rubber. “Taiwan boasts a real technological edge in reclaiming and repurposing used materials,” he said.
“We aim to leverage this advantage through modern designs with a view to raising consumer environmental awareness.”
Hsiao is also working with renowned Taiwan artist Liao Sheng-wen on developing lacquer-reinforced inverted corrugated boards, or ICB. He claims they have significantly slimmed down the traditional lacquer curing procedure from nearly 70 steps to three.
“Paper-based ICB enhanced with lacquer finish gains in durability and water resistance,” Hsiao said. “I expect the new material to find more versatile uses in furniture design and will launch the new line of products through crowdsourcing.”
