Can plastic carton materials meet our contract standards?

We welcome alternative materials but will TETRA-PAK pass our tests?

As we all look towards a more sustainable future, materials present large opportunity for greener manufacturing – However the standards furniture must meet remain the same. So, we wanted to put TETRA-PAK to the test. We have taken Allermuirs Axyl chair designed by Benjamin Hubert and remoulded the frame using this new material.

TETRA-PAK is a type of plasticised carton for milk, juice and other drinks, made up of paperboard (made from wood), polyethylene and aluminium. These three elements are then seperated so as to only use the polyethylene.

The resulting cosmetics of a given product isn’t the same as it would be with a virgin material as you need to take into account that although the degree of separation of plastic and aluminium is absolutely satisfactory in terms of production-related mechanical features, there will still be very tiny aluminium particles (smaller than 1mm) which will have a very slight effect on the skin surface, a kind of mild “glittery” one. In other words, there’ll always be slight difference, but the “compromise” is necessary in light of the substantial environmental advantages.

We are happy with the concept and aestival values that are created but the question still stands can this material pass vigorous testing standards? Could this be a huge revolution for the contact industry? Saving thousands and thousands of TETRA-PAK milk or fruit-juice containers from being incinerated after use, eliminating C02 and the need to use virgin PP.

POST-CONSUMER and not POST-INDUSTRIAL.

Our technical teams put the chair to the test and here’s what are technical engineers said ‘The chair passed arm durability, static arm load, back durability and passed first stage static back load but failed at the Proof Load 1001N / 1 MIN. So, what does this mean…

This means that our TETRA-PAK Axyl won’t be heading out overseas onto the international market just yet as it doesn’t meet global requirements. However, the level of impact the chair has taken and the successful durability on repetitions does mean that this material meets the UK and European standards required to sell a product on the contract market.

Now, the only question that remains… Do you want Axyl re-imagined?