Biomimicry and Planq: our bridge between nature and contemporary design.
We’re not just the guys who make cool stuff out of old jeans. Beyond textile waste, we use bio-based materials to bridge the gap between nature, environmental consciousness, and contemporary design. It’s about using nature in a responsible way to create sustainable furniture and a better future.
That’s really what it comes down to. But it’s anything but ordinary. Let’s call it by its name: Biomimicry.
.What is biomimicry?
Grab a chair (like the Ubu Chair, for example). Here it comes. Biomimicry revolves around nature and is a combination of the words ‘bios’ and ‘mimesis.’ Were you searching for your Greek dictionary? No need. Literally, it means ‘to imitate life.’ This means imitating shapes, colors, sounds, and movements from nature in products, design, and architecture. ‘Nature nerd’ (her own label) Janine Benyus gives nature three roles:
- Nature as model
- Nature as measure
- Nature as mentor
At Planq, we focus primarily on the second and third roles: nature as measure and nature as mentor. How 'suitable' are our products when we look at nature, and what can we learn from it? That’s what biomimicry means for us. We are committed to preventing and minimizing our environmental impact. A circular economy for the interior and furniture industry? Absolutely! We achieve this with bio-based materials.
.Our biobased resources
In addition to recycled textiles, we also use overstock natural fibers and biological binders for our designer furniture. Reusable fibers like hemp, flax, and jute? Absolutely! Flax is a 100% bio-based and locally grown fiber. We source recycled jute coffee sacks from the coffee and chocolate industry. From these bio-based materials, we develop our own veneer: Rezign® Veneer. With a focus on biomimicry, this material forms the basis for many of our furniture pieces. How do we do this? The fibers are carded into felt, to which we add a biodegradable binder. This results in a sturdy sheet material for custom tabletops, shelves for our Cubics cabinets, and of course, the seats of our chairs.
To conclude the chapter on nature and biomimicry: our wood is FSC® certified, and we take pride in that. Not only because we value it ourselves, but also because it ensures we use only the best quality wood. Think of oak, walnut, and strong ash wood. Respect for nature is important to us. Did you know that our sustainable designs are inspired by nature? We’re also embracing ‘nature as model’!
.Biomimicry Architecture: Nature in Architecture and Design.
Especially in architecture, everything is increasingly aligned with nature. In other words, architects are using it more and more as a source of inspiration. Many (commercial) buildings and utility structures are based on nature. Bingo! This is biomimicry architecture or organic architecture. But the same trend applies to interiors and office designs, which now go hand in hand with nature, sustainability, and environmental awareness. At Planq, we provide architects and interior designers with unique tools to create responsible interiors.
Want to throw in a fun fact? Did you know that nature has a positive influence on work performance in interiors? The use of wood, bio-based materials, and the color green contributes to a more effective and often more efficient workday. In that case, we can indeed connect back to our Rezign® Veneer: the green military fabric used as a raw material is particularly valuable here. How much of a win-win-win do we want?
.Let’s talk about Biomimicry en Planq: Anything but ordinary.
"With a focus on biomimicry, we hope to inspire the world by creating beautiful designs from waste materials. Using bio-based resources, we aim to let honest materials truly speak in timeless designs. From that inspiration, we delve into building a bridge between nature, environmental consciousness, and contemporary design every single day. The fact that this results in unique designer furniture and global sustainable projects? We can only be incredibly proud of that."