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Knitted Collection Inspired by Footwear Technology

Designer Benjamin Hubert, of Layer, designed the new Cradle collection in collaboration with Moroso that consists of a high-back chair, a low-back chair, and a room divider. What makes this trio of furniture stand out is the knitted mesh material that’s featured on each piece. Taking inspiration from materials technology used in the manufacturing of footwear, the flexible material is 3D knitted allowing people to choose the two colors.

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The pieces utilize a new three-dimensional stretch textile that Layer developed with an Austrian textile factory that provides the necessary support with only a fraction of the material a traditional mesh requires. The new technology helps reduce the amount of material on the backrests while still providing comfort, much like that of Nike’s Flyknit technology, which can be found in the upper of its footwear.

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The chairs have a knitted backrest that conforms to the body and provides the appropriate support to the person’s shape making it comfortable. The mesh is made with Trevira CS for support and polypropylene for elasticity.

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The seat of the chairs is made of soft, cushioning foam, which absorbs the impact of sitting and helps support the user’s weight, like the foam sole of a shoe when running.

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The room divider uses the same stretch textile on its simple frame providing a sense of privacy through a visually dynamic design.

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Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.