Meet The Woman Who Turns Trash Into High-End Furniture That Costs Thousands | World Wide Waste

Summary

Amber Lasciak founded Redu to tackle New York City's significant construction waste problem by turning it into custom, upscale furniture. Her team repurposes materials like scrap metal, plywood, and even parts from ice cream barrels to create unique pieces, including the $4,200 Condor couch. Despite the challenges of working with reclaimed items, such as toxic finishes, the company has successfully diverted 1.2 million pounds of waste from landfills. While New York’s recycling efforts lag behind other countries like the UK, Amber's vision includes expanding Redu's model to other cities. She aims to inspire others to see construction waste as valuable resources and promote sustainability through innovative reuse.

Takeaways

• 😀 Construction and demolition waste accounts for about one-third of all waste in New York City, with much of it being reusable but ending up in landfills.
• 😀 Amber Lasciak founded a company called Redu to turn construction waste into custom furniture, helping to reduce landfill waste while creating unique products.
• 😀 The Condor couch, a luxury furniture piece, is made from recycled materials like plywood from construction sites, scrap metal, and a barrel from an ice cream factory.
• 😀 Skilled craftsmanship is crucial to turning construction waste into functional furniture, requiring creativity and problem-solving for unique materials.
• 😀 Redu collects materials from local construction sites around Brooklyn, and the team aims to repurpose waste into upscale furniture, sourcing materials within a 15-minute radius of their base.
• 😀 The company uses a mix of reclaimed materials, like wood, masonry debris, and netting, to create furniture, with designs carefully planned before moving to production.
• 😀 Recycled materials can present challenges, like varying paint finishes or toxic coatings, but these issues are handled by the skilled Redu team during production.
• 😀 Redu's furniture production involves various specialists, including woodworkers, upholsterers, and metalworkers, who all play key roles in transforming waste into high-end products.
• 😀 While most Redu items are made to order, some popular pieces, like benches and stools, are kept in stock for quicker sale and delivery.
• 😀 Amber's background in TV and film inspired her to make a meaningful contribution to sustainability by using construction waste to create functional, luxury furniture.
• 😀 Despite New York's recycling efforts, more than half of construction and demolition waste still ends up in landfills, highlighting the need for further innovation in waste management.
• 😀 Redu's business model, based on repurposing construction waste, is intended to inspire other companies in different cities to adopt similar practices, with Amber planning to expand to locations like Miami and Hudson, New York.

Q & A

What inspired Amber Lasciak to start her company?

Amber was inspired to start her company after realizing that much of the construction and demolition waste in New York City could be reused, but was instead ending up in landfills. She wanted to create a system to transform this waste into usable products.

What unique approach does Redu take in making furniture?

Redu makes custom furniture by using construction waste. Materials like plywood, scrap metal, and even discarded items like barrels from ice cream factories are repurposed to create upscale furniture.

How does Amber's team source materials for their furniture?

Amber's team sources materials by making weekly runs to construction sites and companies around the Red Hook neighborhood in Brooklyn. They pick up materials like wood, masonry debris, and other usable scraps.

What types of materials does Redu work with in their furniture production?

Redu works with materials such as reclaimed wood, scrap metal, netting from construction sites, and repurposed textiles like yoga mats and deadstock fabric.

What are some challenges involved in using recycled materials for furniture?

Challenges include dealing with unpredictable materials that may have toxic finishes, blemishes, or damage. Each piece requires extra care, like sanding, staining, and patching up any imperfections.

How does the production process work at Redu?

At Redu, the process begins with designing and creating virtual 3D mock-ups of the furniture. Then, the team works in the workshop to cut, weld, and assemble the furniture using repurposed materials. Upholstery and finishing touches are added at the end.

What is the significance of the Condor couch in Redu’s product lineup?

The Condor couch is a standout piece for Redu, made from materials like plywood, scrap metal, and even a repurposed barrel. It's a symbol of how Redu transforms construction waste into luxury, one-of-a-kind furniture.

What impact has Redu had on the environment so far?

Redu has repurposed approximately 1.2 million pounds of construction waste. Although this is just a small portion of the total waste generated, it demonstrates the potential for using construction debris in new, sustainable ways.

Why is construction and demolition waste a problem in New York City?

New York City generates a vast amount of construction and demolition waste daily, much of which ends up in landfills. Despite having recycling facilities, more than half of this waste is not reused, mainly because there is little incentive for construction managers to do so.

What other cities or regions does Amber plan to expand Redu to?

Amber plans to expand Redu to cities such as Miami, Hudson, New York, and other locations. These new locations will feature both manufacturing facilities and retail spaces.