Conservation Initiative: Seed To Seat

seed to seat

WORDS Amelia Brown PHOTOS Peter Krejci


The American Hardwood export council (AHEC) has announced the launch of the Seed to Seat initiative in South Africa in the name of conservation.

The Seed to Seat South Africa initiative, which builds on prior initiatives in the Middle East, Australia and Europe, aims to measure the environmental impact of design and build using the standardised life-cycle assessment (LCA) tool.

Seven South African designers have been briefed to design “something to sit on”. They are Andrew Dominic (Andrew Dominic Furniture), James Mudge (James Mudge Furniture Studio), Laurie Wiid van Heerden (Wiid Design), Christoph Karl (Guideline Manufacturing), Jacques Cronje (Jacques Cronje Timber Design), David Krynauw (David Krynauw) and Adriaan Hugo (Dokter and Misses).

The pieces they design have to be made from a selection of four American hardwood species. “The ones we’re focusing on for this collaborative project, American cherry, red oak, soft maple and tulipwood,” says AHEC Regional Director Rod Wiles, “are all readily available in commercial volumes and are growing much faster than they are being harvested. They’re under-utilised in South Africa, and this is an opportunity for the designers to try them out and to see what their potential might be.”

Incorporating data from AHEC’s LCA research for 19 American hardwood species, all materials, energy usage, transport and wastage will be recorded during the manufacturing process to assess the full environmental impact of each design.

This ambitious project involving American hardwoods and environmental profiling will be the first of its kind in South Africa. The aim is threefold: to highlight that good design can be achieved with minimal environmental impact through the use of sustainable materials; to showcase American hardwood species by promoting lesser-known ones, with all the timber donated by Rare Woods SA; and to promote great South African design.

The pieces will be unveiled at 100% Design South Africa 2017, which runs from 9 to 13 August in Johannesburg. For more information, visit seedtoseat.info.