Hasta La Ideas

The design gods have smiled upon us, combining two of our favorite things—Emeco Navy chairs and (Diet) Coke—into one affordable, eco-friendly, zero-calorie package. Created in collaboration with Coca-Cola, Emeco’s new 111 Navy Chair is made from recycled plastic bottles (“at least 111” of them, hence the name). It’s modeled after the legendary aluminum original, designed in 1944 for the U.S. Navy, and combines 60% recycled PET plastic with a mix of other materials including pigment and integrity-boosting glass fiber. “When Coca-Cola approached me with this project, I jumped on it,” said Gregg Buchbinder, chairman of Emeco. “Although reengineering a core product is a significant investment for us, I was excited about the impact of reusing the PET from about three million plastic bottles a year. That’s a lot of bottles and a lot of chairs.” If Coca-Cola red is a little much for you, the chair also comes in five more earthly hues: grass, charcoal, flint, persimmon, and (our favorite) snow. Design Within Reach—exclusive U.S. retailer of the 111 Navy Chair—is now taking orders, and at $230 each, it’s about half the price of the aluminum version. But UnBeige, you ask, what might it look like if this new chair was frozen inside a one-ton block of ice? We’re awfully glad you asked, as we happen to have a video depicting that very scenario. Click “play” for a pause that refreshes.

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