We started as strangers, 3 Erasmus students in Rome but with the help of a good cup of coffee we soon discovered where our interests and skills complemented each other. That’s when we brought the topic on the table and a “Freshly Brewed Seat” was born. 

 

Coffee is one of the most desired beverages on this planet but sadly enough also one of the most unethical. Not only does the coffee industry produce 23 million tons of waste per year but it also gets dumped into general waste and sent to landfill where they emit methane. A gas that is 25 times more potent than dioxide and therefor one of the primary causes of global warming. We made it our mission to use this material as a main component in our project and tackle the idea of linear design.

 

By using a material that’s a combination of recycled coffee grounds and PLA, we eliminate the use of plastic and go for a more sustainable approach. With the choice of material, we can also ensure that the product can be manufactured worldwide using 3D printers. Digital manufacturing is the perfect solution, allowing demand to define the exact production whilst reducing the manufacturing and transportation cost and emissions from the process.

 

The product itself was created in a sculptural way to encourage people to interact with it and create the perfect environment for the needs of the user. We don’t want to constrain the user or place and chose to make a design that is versatile and flexible so it can be used in different settings or fulfil certain requirements. It’s a product that changes like the people who use it. 

Coffee can be more than just a drink, it can literally and figuratively bring people together whilst telling a story of sustainability. Our product will provide that cup of coffee to start a pleasant conversation. 

Sustainability is more than just a trend or way to describe our new “thrifted” sweater. It is often used as a way to greenwash curtain behaviors or products, but in the world of tomorrow it is most certainly a required approach on life. 

 

We sometimes feel like the term “sustainability” is an all or nothing kind of deal and therefore a time and energy consuming thing to add to our daily routines and identity. It feels like we have to become an entirely different person to be called “ecofriendly”. 

We don’t see it that way. Sustainable living is an extension of who we are and our values in life. It’s a step by step movement to a better version of yourself; to a better world. It’s a constant process, it involves change and innovation.