I'm not surprised when manufacturer alvidesign says their captivating Silk Chair was inspired by weaving techniques of hammocks, as-and I say this with tongue decidedly out of cheek-the piece reminds me of the hammocks of my childhood. Being of a hammock-less household, these were few and far between, but every rare instance in which I was afforded a glimpse (or an even rarer recline and perhaps nap) was an occasion for me to marvel at the intricate tapestry, the seemingly insubstantial yet impressively hefty warp and weft, the luxurious way the textiles enveloped the user's body.

Silk Chair. Designed by Åsa Kärner. Manufactured by alvidesign.

The Silk Chair is Friendly to both Users and the Environment

But the Silk Chair is not entirely familiar. In fact, Alvi Design's second cited influence for the piece is rather arcane. The ancient Chinese instrument called a qin is strung with silk: "a fretless Chinese board zither with seven strings... in performance the qin symbolizes the union of heaven, earth, and humankind."

Those are large shoes to fill, yet were Alvi Design's Silk Chair just a bit more spacious, perhaps all three entities could experience said union within its cozy confines. Since the piece is really a single-seater, however, we'll have to content ourselves with a unity of one.

But that ain’t bad either, as the Silk Chair facilitates unity of body, mind, and soul. The piece's tightened silk threads strung across a sturdy oak frame cradle the former in absolute comfort, while its impressive ecological heritage puts you at ease in other ways.

Constructed of FSC-certified oak and environmentally-friendly silk thread, alvidesign's Silk Chair is also exemplary for its limited use of resources. The textile design eliminates the middle man-as it were-because it dispenses with the need for the typical behind-the-scenes infrastructure of springs or foam: "The transparent expression is in focus, which creates new forms and brings forth a perception of weightlessness."

Via TopOfDesigns.

About the Manufacturer: designer Ã…sa Kärner of alvidesign minces no words when it comes to articulating the company vision: "to create furniture and products, using environmentally friendly materials with long durability, a focus on sustainable production methods and humane working conditions…" Sounds like the kind of formula that just might produce functional, user-friendly work like alvihanger and the alvisilkchair.