Vestre Launches the World’s First Fossil-Free Steel Furniture

FDT Bureau

Vestre, the renowned street furniture brand, in collaboration with designer Emma Olbers, has introduced a revolutionary piece of furniture crafted from fossil-free steel, created without any carbon emissions. The remarkable Tellus bench is composed of steel forged by Swedish steelmaker SSAB in their converted blast furnace, which utilizes green hydrogen instead of coal for heat, resulting in zero carbon dioxide emissions. Know more about in on FURNITURE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (FDT).

Combining functionality and aesthetics, the Tellus bench features wide armrests designed for comfort and invites relaxation while providing ample space for holding a coffee cup. Intended for parks and other public spaces, the bench can be customized in any classic RAL colour and draws its name from one of the alternative names for planet Earth.

Olbers, known for her dedication to sustainable practices, incorporated scientific rigor into the bench’s design. SSAB’s breakthrough in producing fossil-free steel using Hydrogen Breakthrough Ironmaking Technology (HYBRIT), which involves burning green hydrogen instead of coal and coke, enables the material to possess identical properties to traditional steel while emitting no greenhouse gases during production. Reportedly, SSAB plans to convert all its factories in Sweden, Finland and the USA to HYBRIT, with the goal of phasing out other steel products by 2045. This ambitious transition could potentially reduce Sweden’s total CO₂ emissions by approximately 10 per cent and Finland’s by around 7 per cent, according to SSAB’s estimations.

Image credit: Einar Aslaksen