Erm X 66°North

We worked with designers Arnar Ingi and Valdis Steinars to explore how the life cycle of a product could be extended by giving it a new life beyond its original role.

How can a puffy coat become a chair? And can it become something else after that?

Erm (Icelandic for “sleeve”) aimed to creatively transfer an object’s intended purpose between categories, from a wearable clothing item to household furniture. The project was an examination of how product categorizing can be used as a starting point instead of a restriction when designing innovative solutions for discarded products.

Damaged and non-repairable coats and parkas from 66° North were given a new life and became chairs that could be re-fitted again and again. Made from a single metal rod covered with sleeves of discarded material, the chairs are the first outcome of an ongoing exploration of how upcycling can be achieved between product categories, tailored by Nína Guðrún.