We+ Takes Packing Peanuts and Upcycles Them Into Stunning Pieces of Furniture

If you've ever received a package in the mail, you've likely run into the bane of my existence: packaging peanuts. And if not, then you've undoubtedly encountered unnecessary styrofoam in a shipment box. The non-recyclable, horrible for the environment packing materials not only create excessive waste within your home but also fills our landfills, bodies of water, and ecosystems with harmful materials. 

To combat the excess waste from plastic foam materials, the Japan-based design studio we+has designed Refoam, a new line of furniture made from these products. The minimalist furniture pieces help consumers reexamine the complex relationship between humans and materials, particularly the ones we utilize on a day-to-day basis that have disastrous effects on the environment. The collection is made up of pieces, including a console table, coffee table, stool, and vase. The look of these pieces are highly contemporary,  emulating a dark, simplistic, stone-based aesthetic while simultaneously keeping the styrofoam texture unchanged. 

Currently, the styrofoam collected in Tokyo is commonly melted down, exported to Europe and Southeast Asia, and then refashioned into inexpensive plastic items and products. While it's admirable to see styrofoam actually get recycled (spoiler alert, it's very difficult to recycle foam in the US), theprocess is complicated, often unsustainable, and has a massive carbon footprint.  

We+'s goal is to simplify the process and turn the styrofoam into a desirable, fashionable piece you'd be proud to show off in your home. This new version of upcycling takes a lightweight, harmful, and single-use material and reconstructs it into something structural, functional, and everlasting. 

Plus, the furniture designs are highly stylish, ultra-modern, and, of course, beautifully upcycled.