Yes finally, it’s about skateboards again. Time to post an upcycle design stool created out of used skateboards. If you are a longtime visitor of this blog you might have noticed that upcycleDZINE is a great fan of skateboards. That’s because of the performed tricks, the way the boards look and last but not least, the upcycle possibilities of those old decks. Here are a few beautiful examples: Skateback, Skate Guitar and Art of Board.

Kruked™ stool

This piece of upcycle design furniture is a stool, a combination of elegance and constructional finesse. It’s created by a Dutch design company called FOCUSED. They are based in skateboard city Rotterdam. FOCUSED made Kruked™ stool by upcycling skateboards collected at skate shops and scrap skateboard veneers collected at skateboard factories around the world. 

According to the designers, the top part is completely integrated with its solid leg base made of plywood birch. The Kruked™ is 35cm wide and 35cm long. The height can be constructed as desired between 65-87 cm.

FOCUSED:

“We love wood, especially seven-ply maple. We love the way it rides and we love the way it looks. We work only with wood that has a sustainable forestry label.“

Old decks left behind 

If you look at the history of skateboarding, it all started in the early 1950s. Surfing can be traced as the source of skateboarding. For many people skateboarding has become a way of life, a way to express themselves. For them, it’s never easy to say goodbye to their old skateboard. Most of them never say goodbye, just keep their old rides stocked aside. Some are broken or just worn out. Others simply leave their old decks behind after buying their new decks at skate stores. In the long run, they all end up in a dark corner of a basement, attic or warehouse or are simply discarded.

Sustainable design

A very interesting aspect of a skateboard is that no matter how old it is, the colors of those old seven plies are vibrant and still full of life. “By recycling skateboards, we not only combine the colorful look and strength of seven-ply maple into sustainable furniture designs. We also give those old rides a new life. Instead of letting them fade in the dark, we let those seven plies shine in your studio, office or home. Every piece of furniture has its own story to tell.”

Skateboard recycling

FOCUSED started a skateboard recycling program called Rip&Recycle. We believe that, no matter how old a skateboard deck is, the seven veneers of that deck should not be lost. The company, together with skate shops and parks, collects old skateboards and skateboard waste and gives it a new destination. “Rip&Recycle stimulates sustainability within the European skateboard scene by supporting skate shops, parks, skaters and designers who join the movement.”

Design by FOCUSED