While Brooklyn furniture makers and product
designers are already sought after for their clever concepts,
top-notch craftsmanship and ironic wit, they’re increasingly
getting a rep for an environmentally friendly work ethic, too.
At this year’s edition of the annual home decor showcase, Bklyn
Designs, more than 20 of the 57 exhibitors will be showing products
that are good for the earth and home.
"Some of the exhibitors who are building green now haven’t
in the past," explained Karen Auster, producer of the Brooklyn
Chamber of Commerce event, which features the largest number
of participating green designers to date. "It’s part of
our culture; it’s more mainstream now."
One of the designers, who not only creates furniture from sustainable
materials, but is also a source of such materials for his fellow
artists, is Bart Bettencourt. His Bettencourt Green Building
Supplies in Williamsburg supplies designers, like those from
East Williamsburg’s Brave Space, and he uses renewable resources
and non-toxic adhesives and finishes in his own Bart Bettencourt
furniture line.
"A couple of years ago, no one was doing it, and that’s
why we started [Green Building Supplies]," Bettencourt told
GO Brooklyn. "Now people are starting to see there’s a market
for it.
"The wood alternatives have come to a point where they are
as good or better than their environmentally damaging counterparts:
those that have finishes that have heavy-metal drying agents,
or are formaldehyde-based, or have off-gas or ozone-depleting
chemicals in their finishes that lead to poor indoor air quality,
or particle board or fiber board from virgin trees rather than
industrial by-products."
Bettencourt also collaborates with Carlos Salgado to create a
line of furniture fashioned from 100 percent reclaimed lumber,
Scrapile.
At Bklyn Designs, Scrapile works will be exhibited as well as
pieces from Bettencourt’s line.
He will also display pieces he created with Colleen Smiley, a
textile designer from Williamsburg, such as an ottoman with a
wood base topped with a white-hemp cushion.
"She does a lot of work with vintage and reclaimed fabrics,"
he said.
Bettencourt says that making furniture with green materials is
increasingly necessary "as population increases and we deplete
our natural resources," but New York magazine’s Ben Williams
recently sniffed that the greenies are deceiving themselves.
"Given that eco-friendly furniture can have little impact
on the environment at such small production levels, it cannot
help but be more about the idea of saving the Earth than actually
doing it," Williams wrote.
Susan Woods of DUMBO’s Aswoon showroom disagrees.
"Every contribution that people make is very important to
the environment," Woods told GO Brooklyn. "I buy biodegradable
dish soap and that’s a good thing.
"Some of these people are not at a point where they are
able to make big runs – or they don’t want to. Many of the people
in Bklyn Designs are new to the industry, like myself. It takes
a while to establish oneself."
At Bklyn Designs, Woods will exhibit her metal and bent poplar
wood pieces that are "on the cusp between art and functional
objects."
"I do a lot of recycling," said Woods, whose work is
shown in Todd Yellin’s new feature film, "Brother’s Shadow.
"I get things out of Dumpsters and things that are going
to be thrown away – as a result, the materials are repurposed.
Sometimes I have to buy certain materials to fill out some of
the found materials, but I also buy recycled things." For
instance, her "Spring Line" of screens is made from
upholstery springs.
Sam Kragiel of Brave Space says his company "tries to implement
non-toxic, sustainably produced" materials whenever possible,
and all of their furniture’s finishes are water-based or organically
produced oils.
"You can’t consider one facet of the environmental movement
to be irrelevant because it’s only doing a small part,"
said Kragiel in response to Williams. "It’s a growing and
necessary movement."
At Bklyn Designs, Brave Space will exhibit its "Hollow"
line of furniture, made from Bettencourt’s Plyboo, a bamboo product.
"It acts like a hardwood," explained Kragiel. "It
has the strength and density of hardwood, and we like using it
because it comes in a sheet. But it has a strength and resilience
you can’t find in normal plywood."
Kragiel believes customers will pony up the slightly higher price
tag of green materials.
"It doesn’t cost THAT much more," he said. "It
doesn’t look as cheap as comparable materials; it looks more
expensive and it’s durable and has the green selling point that
makes it worthwhile."
Brooklyn designers like Kragiel, Woods and Bettencourt are proving
that employing eco-friendly materials doesn’t mean sacrificing
durability, form or function, so their pieces – and the philosophy
behind using those materials – can’t help but influence even
more consumers and manufacturers to jump on the green bandwagon.
"If it seems naïve now to say that green design is
making an environmental impact, watch for a year or two and see
if you feel the same way," wagers Bettencourt. "There’s
definitely a growing trend and the supply is just starting to
catch up with the demand."
Bklyn Designs takes place May 12-14
at several locations, including St. Ann’s Warehouse [38 Water
St. at Dock Street in DUMBO, (718) 254-8779] and Bklyn Designs
Gallery, 37 Main St. The "Blockparty" exhibit is on
display at 267A State St., between Smith and Hoyt streets in
Boerum Hill; a shuttle bus to and from DUMBO will be stopping
there every half-hour. Bklyn Designs hours are May 12 (for trade
only), from 10 am to 8 pm; May 13, from 10 am to 7 pm; and May
14, from 11 am to 6 pm. Tickets, which include admission to all
show venues and seminars on May 13 and 14, are $12 and are available
at the door, at the Web site and Brooklyn Industries locations.
For a list of exhibitors, visit www.brooklyndesigns.net.
