Starbucks to partner with Pentatonic in revolutionary design partnership

15th September 2017; Pentatonic, the newly launched furniture company whose products are made using post-consumer waste, today announces a partnership with Starbucks UK. As part of Starbucks plan to decrease its environmental footprint through innovative store design, this exciting collaboration will result in furniture being created from Starbucks store waste. The focus will be a sustainable redesign on its iconic ‘Bean Chair’, currently found in stores nationwide. The partnership is just one of several environmental design projects to be unveiled this September by Pentatonic in its pop-up store, during the London Design Festival.

Starbucks continues to invest in reducing its impact on the environment including building Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified greener stores by preserving water and energy, training its partners (employees) in energy efficiency, and minimising waste by reuse and recycling, including paper cups. The new bespoke cup collection trays have been developed using waste Starbucks cups and will be visible at the Pentatonic pop-up bar as well as additional Starbucks stores currently offering a cup recycling scheme.

The partnership with Pentatonic marks a major step in Starbucks commitment to reducing impact on the environment.

“This fantastic collaboration with Pentatonic shows how working together we can find solutions that positively impact the environment. This partnership gives us new insights to achieve our ambition of environmental store design, including new routes for collecting waste and how we can give this post-consumer waste a second life in our stores. We’re excited for the potential of this project," said Ad de Hond, vice president Design, Starbucks EMEA.

Pentatonic continues to exhibit its ambitious commitment to achieving the realisation of the circular economy, in every day consumer, design and trend culture.

Quickly establishing itself as a design and material technology pioneer, Pentatonic has recreated the iconic Starbucks Bean Chair from upcycled textiles, made using only waste plastic. The upholstery, cushioning, frame and legs of these chairs were once plastic bottles and plastic cups.

“Partnering with Starbucks to build furniture and materials out of their own waste is a major demonstration of how scale can be a force for good. By taking the iconic Bean Chair design and re-engineering it using trash, it further illustrates the unlimited application possibilities of post-consumer waste. With Pentatonic’s technology and Starbucks commitment to a greener future, the potential impact of our partnership is truly significant for the planet,” said Jamie Hall, Co-Founder/CMO, Pentatonic.

To launch the partnership, Pentatonic and Starbucks have also collaborated on a Starbucks pop-up bar constructed entirely from its own waste materials. This bespoke Starbucks bar will reside within Pentatonic’s Shoreditch pop-up, opening tomorrow (15 September) serving Nitro Cold Brew and Chemex brewed coffee – with all proceeds donated to Clean up Britain.

The bar features the specially produced Bean Chair, as well as a counter top and tables made from Starbucks recycled paper cups and a backdrop made up of 1,200 tiles made in London from plastic cups and coffee cup lids. The tiles are formed in Pentatonic’s revolutionary Trashpresso mobile recycling factory (Pentatonic.com/London) which will also be showcased at London Design Festival at Somerset House between 18 – 24 September.

When the Pentatonic pop-up space closes (October 12) all the materials used, and the Bean Chairs, will find new homes in Starbucks stores in Central London. This will mark the beginning of upcycled materials being used in future store designs.

Notes to Editors:

Further product and company information

Details of Pentatonic’s products, prices, materials and business model can be found at pentatonic.com

London pop-up information

Pop-up retail location:
Pentatonic
The Old Synagogue, 2 Chance Street (entrance on Whitby Street)
London E1 6JT

Opening dates/times:
September 15-October 12, 12.00-19.00 daily

London Design Festival information

Design Frontiers exhibition at Somerset House
Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court
Strand, London, WC2R 1LA

Opening dates/times:
September 18-24
Monday 11.00-18.00
Tuesday 11.00-17.30
Wednesday 11.00-20.00
Thursday 11.00-20.00
Friday 11.00-20.00
Saturday 11.00-18.00
Sunday 11.00-18.00

Press preview: Monday 18 September 2017
09.00 – 10.00
RSVP: [email protected]