STIR spots diverse sustainable approaches to design at Clerkenwell Design Week 2025

Having covered countless global design fairs and festivals over the years, it's hard not to feel a creeping sense of déjà vu—familiar forms, familiar names, familiar promises of sustainability. Often, these design events tend to blend into one another, featuring the same roster of designers, brands and panels working with familiar materials and covering topics in ways that feel more dutiful than daring, their commercial aspects a recurring point of discourse. So, as STIR headed to the recently concluded Clerkenwell Design Week 2025—its 14^th and biggest edition yet, featuring over 350 design brands showcasing furniture, lighting, textiles, surfaces, home accessories and product designs—we asked ourselves: would this one be any different?

Spread across 15+ venues and more than 160 showrooms, CDW 2025 presented sundry perspectives on design, its makings and its creative and commercial offerings. Take, for instance, Alex Chinneck's surreal new public artwork, A week at the Knees at the Charterhouse Square specially commissioned by CDW: playing with architectural elevations, the British artist sculpted it with 320 metres of repurposed steel and bespoke bending windows, doors and 7,000 bricks; or how French architect Arthur Mamou-Mani's Harmonic Tides, a 3D-printed, parametric installation outside St John's Gate animated by light and sound, offered a poetic example of modular design, being constructed from ripple-like modules, fabricated from sugar-based PLA, a compostable, renewable bioplastic.

The capital's oldest parish church, The Church of Design, set in the 900-year-old St Bartholomew the Great, proved a majestic backdrop for myriad contemporary design showcases and forward-thinking talks at the design festival. Meanwhile, Travel Well Seated, a new book celebrating sustainability in travel and hospitality by Andreu World was launched. It doubles as a guide to some of the best hotels in the world, with recommendations from the creators of the projects themselves.

In the same vein, as a media partner of Clerkenwell Design Week 2025, STIR lists below some of the standout offerings from global brands that infused new energy and material innovation into sustainable and circular design strategies, making a case for why sustainability in design doesn't have to be boring.

Every. Piece. Counts. by Flokk

Flokk’s London showroom presentation spotlighted the power of micro-decisions in sustainable design, proffering "a fascinating collection of material stories that show how even the smallest choices can make a big impact," as the press release states. Created with designer duo Hunting & Narud, the bold, colourful installation by the leading manufacturer of workplace seating in Europe zoomed in on the materials, processes and partnerships behind its furniture designs—revealing how every component contributes to Flokk's systemic mission to reduce environmental impact at scale. From natural fabrics and recycled textiles to innovative sourcing, Every. Piece. Counts. shifted focus from individual products to scalable, industry-wide impact. This granular approach underscores Flokk’s belief that sustainability isn't a single gesture, but a layered, ongoing commitment, "embedded in every decision – from concept to creation".

Mirra 2 Chair and Stool by Herman Miller

Part of the collective of dynamic brands MillerKnoll, Herman Miller unveiled the latest iteration of its Mirra 2 Chair and Stool at CDW this year, showcasing a commitment to sustainability and ergonomic excellence. In collaboration with Studio 7.5, the updated chair and stool designs feature a nylon base and spine crafted from 100 per cent recycled materials, reducing the carbon footprint by up to 17 per cent compared to previous versions. This refresh maintains the chair's hallmark features, such as the responsive Butterfly Back, AireWeave suspension seat and PostureFit sacral support, while introducing new colour options like cordovan and ultramarine. Mirra 2 exemplifies how thoughtful material choices and design refinements can lead to meaningful environmental impact without compromising performance. As the brand puts it, "The result is a new Mirra 2 that's physically light and lighter on the environment."

Terrae by Mirage x AMDL CIRCLE

At Clerkenwell Design Week 2025, Mirage, 'an excellence in Italian design specialising in ceramic surfaces for architecture', unveiled Terrae, a poetic new collection developed with Italian architect and designer Michele De Lucchi's AMDL CIRCLE. Terrae (part of Atelier Mirage, the Italian brand's creative laboratory dedicated to material and design experimentation) draws inspiration from earth, as both material and metaphor, celebrating it "as a matrix of life and a connective element between humanity and nature," the project's press release states. The collection bridges tradition and innovation across three tactile lines: Atmo, which reimagines classic ceramic textures with light-responsive, embossed and graphic patterns; Idro, a subtle surface echoing the subtlety of rainfall, evoking 'the first moments of a light drizzle'; and Lito, a sculptural system of extruded modules that filters light and air, 'a tribute to the architectural tradition of moucharabieh'. Beyond decoration, these ceramic surfaces facilitate seamless transitions between the inside and out, showing how sustainability, sensory richness and storytelling can coexist meaningfully in contemporary design.

ReSKU 2.0 by Camira

Marking its 50th anniversary, Camira launched ReSKU 2.0, "a recreation of our iconic recycled wool fabric, ReSKU, which launched in 1998 and was made from old army jumpers… ReSKU 2.0 is the latest innovation to emerge from our advanced textile reprocessing technology, iinouiio," the brand relays. This updated version is crafted from 79 per cent recycled content, including in-house wool/ polyamide yarn waste blended with flax. The fabric avoids dyeing by working with the base tones of reclaimed fibres, dramatically reducing environmental impact. With a naturally flecked, homespun aesthetic and 24 rich colourways, ReSKU 2.0 exemplifies how textile innovation can be deeply sustainable, scalable and beautiful by design. "The result is a pioneering, future-forward fabric which is recycled, renewable and circular," they continue.

Clay by Moroso

Moroso's redesigned flagship at the design week burst with chromatic intensity, showcasing bold new collections alongside beloved icons upholding the brand's blend of material experimentation and aesthetic vibrancy. Highlights included Clay by Treviso-based studio Zanellato/Bortotto, a family of armchairs and table designs. The armchairs merge refined upholstery with hand-crafted ceramic backrests. Made using age-old glazing techniques from Nove, Italy, each ceramic element transforms the chair into a functional artwork—elevated on a minimal oak or walnut base. The collection's four matching tables extend this tactile dialogue between tradition and modernity, where their "base and top frame, in oak or Canaletto walnut, allow a refined combination with both the Clay armchair and the Mangiafuoco coffee table," according to the brand. Other new launches included Cuadra Soft and Sedona by Patricia Urquiola, and the Me Time sofa by García Cumini.

Haworth Cardigan Lounge by Studio Urquiola

Comfort meets circularity in Haworth’s Cardigan lounge chair, inspired by the tailored fit of a cardigan sweater and designed with Patricia Urquiola. Delivering comfort with conscience and made using knit-to-fit digital fabrication, it generates zero waste, has a lower carbon footprint and features a custom textile spun from 91 recycled PET bottles. Its lightweight, cocoon-like form supports varied postures with a ribbed back, while the airy chair's minimal assembly (just six screws) and glue-free construction make disassembly and recycling seamless. With fossil-free foam and low-impact packaging, the Haworth Cardigan Lounge sets a benchmark for circular lounge seating, proving that sustainability in design can feel as good as it looks.

Arena by Gandia Blasco

"One of the key roles of this collection is to establish a dialogue between the built environment and nature," says Danish designer Søren Rose, who crafted this sculptural outdoor collection for Gandia Blasco, marking the brand's first foray into purely organic forms. Inspired by the fluidity of sand dunes, the pieces in the Arena collection feature curved, individually pressed aluminium slats that evoke both Mediterranean basketry and Scandinavian veneer work. The collection includes lounge chairs, sofas, coffee tables and a standout swing—each designed to harmonise with natural landscapes while offering durability and comfort. Arena exemplifies a seamless blend of artistry and functionality, bringing a sense of serene elegance to both outdoor and indoor spaces.

WOD by Lapalma

The Italian furniture manufacturer unveiled WOD, a modular partition system designed by Milan-based designer and architect Raffaella Mangiarotti. Crafted from wood or recycled polyester and connected with leather hinges, the space divider's panels can be arranged in linear or curved formations without the need for metal components or screws, owing to an interlocking mechanism. This modular design emphasises adaptability and sustainability, allowing for seamless integration into various settings. "Being made of a single material, it is easy to recycle at the end of its life. Lastly, it can be transported in a sustainable manner, in a flat pack, which lowers emissions and transport costs," shares Lapalma.