I did some research of Reddit and discovered that a lot of designers are asking the same thing right now:

“How do I use better materials… without the project looking like I’ve compromised?”

That’s a real concern. Because no one wants their work to feel second-tier just because they chose a recycled option.

That’s why I think this piece by Lyzadie Renault speaks to that.

It’s called Papatūānuku as part of her Ponga collection.

Curved Forest Cleanstone panel made from fishing nets and plastic bags shaped into cantilevered leaf formed shelving, sitting on a carved ponga base.

How original is this right?!

What I like about it is pretty simple.

You don’t look at it and think about the material first. You just think it’s a beautiful piece.

And then you find out it’s made from recycled plastic. That order matters.

Because it answers the question a lot of designers are quietly asking:

Can I use better materials and still make something people actually want?

This shows you can and it doesn’t feel like a compromise.

It feels intentional and that’s the bar.

If you’re working on furniture or interior fit outs, I reckon that’s the real challenge now.

Not just using better materials. But making sure the end result still holds to your design intent.

I'm keen to hear what you think - is that the first question you ask in your projects?

Would you use something like this in your own work?

If you want to explore it, jump on cleanstone.criticaldesign.nz and I’ll send you some samples.