Bõln: circular furniture made from biobased polyurethane

Bõln – the name sounds almost German. Were it not for the Spanish tilde hovering over the ‘o’. Bõln is a coined term. Short and catchy, it makes for a memorable brand name. And it makes sense: Bõln is a young company from Zaragoza, Spain, that is shaking up the market by manufacturing furniture from a self-developed material made from plant waste called Flexyskin. Not only because Bõln is a prime example of the possibilities of green technologies, but also because Flexyskin is a high-performance material that meets even the highest demands for public outdoor furniture. The brand’s modern, simple design is also impressive: it’s colourful, comfortable, soft, modular, versatile and round.

Expertise and Pioneering Spirit
In 2020, engineer Fernando Rivas launched the Bõln brand, drawing on the experience and knowledge of his father’s company, Poliuretanos Rivas, where the now 49-year-old started as production manager after graduating. Poliuretanos Rivas is a renowned Spanish manufacturer that has specialised in the production of polyurethane foam components for over 40 years. It’s no surprise that the history of this young Spanish brand begins with an innovative material: Flexyskin, an eco-friendly polyurethane foam made from green waste. “We were looking for a polyurethane-related material that could be used outdoors and in heavy-duty applications,” explains Fernando Rivas. “The technical development took five years. When we realised that Flexyskin was robust enough and met our expectations, we decided to launch Bõln – even though the Covid pandemic was having a huge impact on all our lives at the time”.

Nordic Simplicity Meets Mediterranean Vibrancy
Indoor and outdoor, as a single piece or as part of an ensemble, as an interior object or as a simple add-on. It’s this simplicity, underpinned by a progressive philosophy, that makes the company and its products so remarkable. Or as Fernando Rivas puts it: ‘Bõln combines the simplicity of Nordic design with Spanish passion, liveliness and soul’. He hits the nail on the head, as the furniture is created in collaboration with internationally acclaimed design studios from Sweden and Spain: Studio Mattias Stenberg from Stockholm, Stone Designs from Madrid and Nacar Design from Barcelona. Seven collections – including one specifically for children – have been launched since 2020, bringing a climate-friendly future to public and community spaces around the world.

Advanced Material Technology
Flexyskin is a milestone in sustainability: Its production transforms plant waste – a CO2-neutral, previously under-utilised raw material – into a high-quality, versatile material. Flexyskin not only reduces dependence on oil, but also contributes to a circular economy. ‘Flexyskin is a flexible polyurethane based on biomass. Basically, three components come together: a bio-based soft foam, an outer membrane and a colour. They are all polyurethanes. The foam is sustainable and recyclable, while the other two components make up only 10% of the final product. The paint is a thin, effective coating. As a result, our final product is 90% plant waste’, explains Rivas.

But as simple as the material’s composition sounds, Flexyskin is the result of years of research and development. The challenge was to combine biological raw materials with modern materials technology to create a product that is both sustainable and meets the highest functional requirements in terms of durability, flexibility and resistance.

read more at:https://ndion.de/en/boln-circular-furniture-made-from-organic-waste/ 

by: Kathrin Spohr
Source: https://ndion.de

Photo: SAREK collection – The market innovation of Flexyskin lies in the successful transformation of waste materials into a high-performance product | © Bõln