A product developed to make use of existing material offcuts may not initially seem like it would allow for a high degree of customizability — but therein lies the genius of the “waste-to-wonders” Stackabl system.

Powered by specially designed software, Stackabl’s digital configurator taps into regional manufacturers’ inventories in real time to present a wide range of design options based on leftover material. Using this interface, a customer can tweak the proportions, colours and details of a piece of furniture to their personal preferences, all while easily drawing upon currently available supply that might otherwise be destined for the landfill. To help them evaluate their creation, Stackabl can produce an augmented reality version of it that they can preview in their own space. Once a customer finalizes their selections, their unique vision is then put into production to be drop-shipped.

The first iteration of the Stackabl system engages Merino wool felt, recycled aluminum, ethically harvested wood and recycled PET. Layers of fabric and PET — again, custom-configured to match exact colour specifications — form the seat and backrest of a design, which could take the form of a chair, daybed, bench or settee. These are then clamped down with aluminum bolts and accented with sculptural legs in the customer’s choices of silhouette and wood.

An initial collection of “couture” pieces was unveiled at Salon Art + Design during New York Design Week (and is available through Maison Gerard and 1stDibs) to demonstrate the system’s capabilities. These will soon be joined by more affordable “ready-to-wear” offerings designed on a slightly streamlined version of the Stackabl interface — one that doesn’t sacrifice the brand’s core focus on salvaged materials and infinite customization.

By taking advantage of what already exists within regional economies — yet still allowing buyers to specify exactly what they want — Stackabl finds a sweet spot between sustainability and individuality.

Team Benoist F. Drut (Maison Gerard); William Harford (WEH Software); Devansh Shah (Stackabl); James Munroe (OAAT); Roger Wall (FilzFelt); Randy Simmen (Visual Elements); Tom Shoan (Sutherland Felt) and Daniel Blenich (A&D Woodturning)