As natural resources continue to deplete, virgin materials will gradually become a luxury we can no longer afford. Designer Sarmīte Poļakova, who leads the material design and research atelier Studio Sarmite in Frankfurt, is exploring ways to transform production remnants into sustainable products. She is convinced that by changing our negative perception of waste, we can better harness its potential to become something new.

Sarmīte’s desire to create meaningful design that inspires change began while studying at the Art Academy of Latvia. «After completing my bachelor’s degree, I had doubts about what I, as a product designer, should create. It seemed that the world already had enough chairs and furniture. Artificially creating and solving «functional problems», an approach taught in design schools, didn’t resonate with me,» says Sarmīte. She found a learning environment that matched her vision at the Design Academy Eindhoven, where she became more interested in how products are made and where their origins can be found.

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