Sustainable design roundups: 12 eco-friendly pendant lamps
Tags: Interior Design, Sustainability, Sustainable Design, Sustainable Development, Circular Design

Lampshades are items that lend themselves to designers’ creativity. They can take a myriad of shapes and be made of various materials, including eco-friendly ones!

So today we’re reviewing 12 examples of sustainable lampshades; all taken from SforSustainable, the sustainable interior design platform I curate!

Moodboard & detailed product descriptions at the end of the article

Natural fibres

From bamboo to seagrass and rattan, weaving natural fibres into lampshades creates rich natural textures and interesting light-and-shadow effects.

Weaving is a traditional craft in many areas of the world and the production of such lampshades is often a way to support this long-lived skill.

Natural “debris”

There is no waste in nature. But many natural “debris” can be given additional value when used as raw materials for unconventional and sustainable objects.

For example at Miyuca, fallen leaves are collected and turned into lampshades that retain those typical autumnal colours.

Similarly, Caracara creates lampshades from several natural “leftovers”, including orange peels and pine needles collected from discarded Christmas trees!

Agricultural waste

Still on the topic of natural leftovers, agricultural waste can be given value as well!

High Society uses residues from the cultivation of wine, hemp and tobacco, mixes them with a natural binder and shapes them into lampshades!

Upcycling

Upcycling is defined as the act — or rather the art — of reusing a material / object for an application that increases its value.

For instance, Livable World takes the cage of old fans — which has become a piece of trash — and turns it into a lampshade!

Another example of upcycling which starts from a humble material comes from Tabitha Bargh, who recycles corrugated cardboard sheets into beautiful pendant lamps!

Plastic bottles

PET bottles can be upcycled in a number of products ranging from textiles to tiles. Lampshades are no exception and two examples (just to name a couple) come from IKEA and Muuto, that respectively turn PET bottles into a hard plastic material and felt.

Textiles

It’s not always easy to make a production process zero-waste. But this doesn’t mean production leftovers are useless!

For example, a collaboration between designer Sonia Laudet and Market Set has turned fabric scraps into a lighting collection!

Another natural textile that can take the shape of a lampshade is wool felt. At LumaLano, wool is sourced from conscious farmers and the production process is environmentally friendly in several ways.

So here’s a recap of these 12 sustainable pendant lamps!

Click on the names for a detailed explanation of what makes each lamp a sustainable choice

1. Sfera — by Bottega Intreccio

2. Maze — by Raw Materials

3. KNIXHULT — by IKEA

4. LAAB — by Miyuca

5. Pine Needles — by Caracara

6a. Wine — by High Society

6b. Hemp — by High Society

6c. Tobacco — by High Society

7. Fan — by Livable World

8. Carton C5 — by Tabitha Bargh

9. TROLLBO — by Ikea

10. Under the Bell — by Muuto

11. Sonia Laudet — by Market Set

12. Luma Unika — by LumaLano

These are just a few of the Earth-friendly lampshades available on the market.

For more inspiration about sustainable lampshades (and sustainable interior design pieces in general) you’re welcome to visit SforSustainable, the sustainable interior design platform I curate!