Eline Van Dijkman
“Rubber, a design material”, illustrates the potential of recycled industrial materials like rubber, showcasing how they can be transformed into innovative products that seamlessly blend into the realm of design. Collaborating with DRI Rubber, a global specialist in rubber recycling, Eline Van Dijkman pioneers’ circular products crafted from recycled rubber matting, seamlessly integrating them into our daily lives and ensuring their recyclability within the same company.
The outdoor set exudes an industrial aesthetic, retaining the raw patterns of the rubber mats sourced directly from industry. Characterized by simple geometric shapes, clean lines, and sharp angles, the design embraces rough, unpolished finishes that accentuate the material’s imperfections, adding to its rugged appeal.
As a product designer, van Dijkman’s passion for experimenting with new materials to create functional and sustainable products shines through. Her journey began with a fascination for industrial materials and a desire to tackle waste streams, leading her to the vast mountains of discarded rubber tyres at DRI Rubber in the Netherlands. Intrigued by the unique properties of rubber, she embarked on a mission to explore its potential.
In van Dijkman’s designs, the material dictates the form, maximizing its functionality while preserving its inherent properties. Raw, chunky cut-outs of rubber are ingeniously fashioned into furniture pieces, showcasing the material’s durability, resilience, and suitability for outdoor use.
Collaborating with DRI Rubber spurred extensive experimentation, culminating in the adoption of water cutting to fashion 2D pieces that seamlessly interlock to form 3D objects. Every shape utilized in the series represents an outline of another, ensuring 100 % material utilization. Even smaller scarp pieces found purpose as candle holders, minimizing waste.
Comprising entirely of recycled rubber, predominantly sourced from tyres, the series champions sustainability and resource efficiency. Despite initial mixed reactions due to rubber’s association with chemical waste, the project garnered positive feedback for its practicality and environmental consciousness. It serves as both a statement piece and a catalyst for dialogue on recycling and material innovation.
While the pieces are not commercially available, van Dijkman encourages collaboration with rubber-utilizing companies to repurpose their waste materials, advocating for increased adoption of recycled rubber in design to reduce reliance on new materials and minimize environmental impact.
