Pallets became very trendy the last few years. One thing though, one should be careful using pallets. On a site called earth911.com is an article about the question:  are pallets safe for reuse projects? According to Candice Miller, a horticulture educator and expert from the University of Illinois Extension: “You have to consider where [the pallet] came from, what’s been shipped on it and what you’re going to use it for.”
Well if you’re sure about your pallets than they are great for making upcycle design like this Pallet Wood lampshade, a Pallet Project or the Moveo. Via.

Lounger as idea for sustainable design

And today I’m showing you another great piece of furniture I came across made from shipping pallets. It’s called ‘Re-Stacked Lounger‘, a collaborative group project by Hannah Hutchinson, Ursula Davy, Stephanie Ward, Andrew Wilkie and John van Huenen. Produced for the SustainabilityTrust as part of Massey University Spatial Design paper ‘Fabricating the Lane-way’ (Nov 2012).
Hannah Hutchinson: “Innovative sustainable designs are becoming more prominent in contemporary design and practice. This project made us think about ways in which we are able to creatively design furniture pieces for a public environment using found materials, especially those sourced from local waste streams within Wellington.”

Photos © Hannah Hutchinson Design

One of the great things about the Re-Stacked Lounger is it’s very versatile use. Multiple Re-Stacked Loungers can create a series of individual seating spots, or if pushed together they create seating islands.
The outside has been sanded with rounded corners. The interior of the furniture has been left untouched to get a nice contrast.
“To ensure that the lounger is inviting and looks comfortable, a soft surface has been developed and created in conjunction with the seat itself. This uses woolen fleece off cuts along with the process of dry needle felting to create a knitted blanket as a form of cushioning. This woollen covering is completely detachable so that it can be easily washed and taken off if necessary, and is held in place though old bike inner tubes which have been tightened and fixed to the pallet.”
I think the Re-Stacked Lounger is a stylish and great looking example of showing a different upcycle design made out of pallets.

Design by Hannah Hutchinson, Ursula Davy, Stephanie Ward,
Andrew Wilkie and John van Huenen