[Fabric]ations Stools by KALO

[Fabric]ations from KALO is a series of resin stools that trap fabric arrangements within them to provide soft seating tops. The idea is up-cycle waste fabric into functional pieces of furniture. The overall form of the stools and tables are designed to be visually light while still maintaining structural strength. Each piece is unique as the fabric is arranged by hand to create textural variations. The resin visually refracts the trapped fabric and allows for hidden moments of discovery within it.

Since the impetus for the project started with the idea of using all the waste textile produced by various industries, multiple types of fabrics were collected as scrap from tailors, textile retailers, and furniture manufacturers, often in garbage bags before they got disposed at the end of the day. For the stools, the fabric is trapped in the resin once its cured, making it very much a permanent part of the furniture as opposed to added upholstery or cushions.

Producing the pieces is very ‘low-tech’ and requires few raw materials. A positive wood mold is first built and then used to make a negative rubber mold for the resin. The mold can be re-used for a large number of casts. Scarp pieces of textile,composed into arrangements of varied color, texture, softness, and material type, are then placed on the still curing resin after its poured in the mold.

While the prototypes are produced using general purpose polyester resin, the intention is to make larger quantities using bio resin in order to make a more green product.