In cooperation with Label Breed and Enkev, Christien Meindertsma designed a chair made from flax, a crop that does not need much water. Mixing it with polylactide (PLA), a biodegradable plastic made from lactic acid, a new composite is created. The material is cut to rectangular lengths, after which pressure and heat melt the different pattern sections into a shell, front and back legs. Different fibres can be discerned in the chair. The whole plant is represented in the design and as much of the flax plant is used as possible.

The biodegradable FLAX CHAIR is made from flax fibre and PLA, two environmentally responsible materials that are (insufficiently) valued according to the committee. Christien Meindertsma’s strong concept has the potential to change this. The fairly basic-looking chair she developed has been manufactured soundly, and produces minimum waste in the design phase. Worthy of mentioning in this project is the role of the new Label Breed, which links designers to the Dutch manufacturing industry.

In this project, Christien Meindertsma once again impressed the jury with her thorough approach. She has been conducting research into the potentials of flax as a material for many years; Meindertsma even bought a flax plot to learn how the material can be processed. This project is clearly about more than just another chair: it is the result of long-term research into the material qualities of flax, a quest to reinstate the value of a largely underrated fibre (the short flax fibre), and a desire to connect with Dutch companies to launch a new product on the market. Working in collaboration with Label Breed and Enkev, these endeavours culminated in an astonishingly elegant result. The jury considers the FLAX Chair an excellent example of what contemporary design can achieve.

The FLAX Chair is of exceptionally high quality, and epitomises the work of Christien Meindertsma. From an inspiring conceptual design to thorough material research, the project is sublime in every detail. The partnership with Label Breed and Enkev turned out to be an excellent choice; together, they developed an almost waste-free production process. The result is a design that marries sustainability and relevance with an elegant aesthetic.