Image source: Normann Copenhagen — Mat Chair
© Normann Copenhagen and the respective rights holders. Quoted to accompany INTEBEE's independent design commentary and research.
Mat Chair
A shell dining chair crafted from hemp fibres, on beech plywood legs
515 × 790 × 530 mm
2024
Approx. $590 (reference price; varies by region and retailer)
Official product information
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Go to the official product pageDescription
Overview
Mat Chair is a dining chair by Foersom & Hiort-Lorenzen for Normann Copenhagen, presented in 2024. Its name is short for materials: the shell is crafted from hemp, or from hemp with added eelgrass.
Construction
The measured version has legs of FSC-certified beech plywood and beech plywood from other controlled sources. The shell is compression-moulded from fibres and a fully recyclable binder, cut to size, hand-sanded and oiled by hand. A powder-coated steel base in Black or Cream is also offered.
Specifications
Mat Chair Beech in hemp (609201) is listed at 51.5 x 53 x 79 cm, seat height 45 cm.
Story
Material innovation at the core
Peter Hiort-Lorenzen began working on a more sustainable alternative to the plastic shell chair in the late 1990s. He says the first prototypes were presented in 2005 and that hemp testing began in 2008. Normann Copenhagen presented the finished Mat Chair in February 2024.
Hemp and eelgrass
The shell is crafted from hemp fibres, with a second version that adds eelgrass gathered along the Danish coast. The company says the materials provide a more responsible product and also shape its look and feel.
More by Foersom & Hiort-Lorenzen
Eyes 4 Leg Barstool
Eyes 4 Leg Barstool, model 4830 (2007): upholstered foam shell on a steel tube base.
Eyes 4 Leg Chair
Eyes 4 Leg Chair, model 4810 (2007): fully upholstered foam shell on a steel tube base.
Eyes Swivel Chair
Eyes Swivel Chair, model 4818 (2007): upholstered foam shell on a 4-point aluminium swivel base.
Eyes Lounge
Eyes Lounge 4 Leg, model 4850 (2011): upholstered shell with a gentle curve on a steel tube base.
Collection
Mat
Mat by Foersom & Hiort-Lorenzen for Normann Copenhagen: dining and bar seating with shells of hemp or hemp and eelgrass on steel or beech bases, presented 2024.
