Sustainable 3D Printed Furniture: The Future of Design

As 3D printing opens new doors across various fields, 3d design for furniture has also become increasingly popular. While mass production of furniture likely won’t stop any time soon, experimenting with innovative design, new functions, and complex geometry is something that additive manufacturing is perfect for. 3D furniture offers creative freedom for designers, with the potential of customization for clients, and the benefits of lower cost, sustainable material use and renewed aesthetics.

pic 1 3d  furniture (source: archdaily)

How to Get Started with JLC3DP

If you already have a design and a ready-to-print 3D model, all you need to do is to upload your STL file here, choose the desired material and you will get a free quote instantly.

There are several different materials you can choose from, filaments like PLA, PETG, TPU and Nylon, with versatile colour options.

JLC3DP can help you with furniture prototyping as well, and once the design is finalized, we will take care of the final production for you. Our 3D printing online services are fast, and you will receive the printed 3D model in a couple of days.

Have any ideas for 3d design for furniture? Start your customized 3D furniture project with JLC3DP today!

Why 3D Printing is Transforming Furniture Design

Whether it’s an artistic piece for an exhibition or a bench for public use, 3D printing is ideal for new furniture design solutions, prototypes, and testing. Artists can now cost-effectively create a limitedseries of products compared to traditional manufacturing.

As in all industries, additive manufacturing is perfect for reducing the cost of tooling in 3D printing furniture design too, or even to completely eliminate that. Being able to produce small batches, to experiment with rapid prototyping is a true benefit of 3D technologies, that results in customized furniture pieces with complex geometries.

Core Technologies and Materials for 3D Printed Furniture

FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) – Affordable & Versatile

Most companies use FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) to 3D print chairs from eco-friendly PLA or other recycled filaments. PLA 3D furniture design is ideal for prototyping and producing lightweight 3D printed chairs.

Another beneficial material of FDM technology in furniture design is TPU, a flexible alternative that is well-suited for outdoor applications due to its good UV stability. TPU has high abrasion- and impact-resistance. Perfect for outdoor furniture.

PETG is also known for its weather-resistance and outdoor application, with high durability features.

SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) – Durable & Complex

SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) technology and cement 3D printing are also becoming more common for producing chairs, benches, or even home décor. Selective Laser Sintering is using Nylon/Polyamide powder as its material. The key benefit of SLS technology is its ability to create intricate designs with ease. SLS 3D printed furniture works great if complex geometry is needed.

Cement 3D Printing – Outdoor & Architectural Furniture

Cement 3D printing is great for large-scale production of benches and other structures. From buildings to furniture 3D concrete offers a durable alternative as an innovative material. One of the challenges is that concrete naturally lacks high tensile strength, so it should be reinforced.  

Material comparison table

Case Studies – Innovation in 3D Printed Furniture

Gradient Cement Chairs– Reinforced for strength and aesthetics

Philipp Aduatz collaborated with incremental3D to create 3D-printed chairs and benches using cement. The designer has developed a semi-automatic system that integrates glass-fiber rods and carbon textile into the design to ensure a high-performance. Each 3d printed furniture piece is one-of-a-kind, and could not be created using conventional dying methods.

The speciality of these 3d printed furniture pieces lies not only in their additive manufacturing process but also in their unique colour gradients. The designer stated that he has been obsessed with the concept of gradient, which, for him, reflects elegance and harmony. The process involves adding dye to the material as it passes through the nozzle, to create the colours of the final object.

(Pic 2： 3d design for furniture, source: archdaily)

From Ocean Waste to Park Bench: 3D Printing Sustainable Furniture from Recycled Marine Plastic

What is sustainable furniture? It can be achieved through the combination of 3d printing and sustainability, using eco-friendly printing processes to transform recycled materials into new products.

Many companies share the same mission: cleaning the ocean of plastic and any other waste that doesn’t belong there. Turning marine waste into 3D printing filament and then into objects, such as furniture with intricate designs, is a powerful statement.

The New Raw and Blue Cycle collects and recycles fishing ropes and nets found in oceans. All of their pieces of furniture contain at least 50% plastic waste, mainly Nylon and Polyester. Their innovative benches, vases, and chairs come in a variety of designs and colours, using FDM 3D printers to bring them to life layer-by-layer. These efforts promote sustainability and raise awareness about marine pollution, while producing functional and thoughtfully designed furniture.

(Pic3 3d printed chair, source: Blue Cycle)

Hybrid CNC + 3D Printing Table – Combining wood craftsmanship with SLS legs

Made by the Aleksa Studio in London, this carefully crafted, artistic table was launched at the Clerkenwell Design Week. The standout feature of this stunning table is its integrated structure: a CNC-milled walnut top combined with 3D printed legs. The precision of 3D modelling enabled a flawless fit of these two very different parts to be assembled in perfect harmony.

The legs were 3D printed in seven separate components using SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) technology and Polyamide powder as the material, then they were seamlessly joined to form the final object. This fusion of digital fabrication and traditional woodworking is a whole new kind of craftsmanship, revealing what’s possible when merging different manufacturing methods.

(source: Aleksa studio)

Food Waste Filaments – PLA blended with lemon peels, coffee grounds

Alongside conventional 3D printing filaments, there are some unusual and experimental, eco-friendly materials, too. From lemons and coffee grounds to sand and recycled PET bottles—a material that can be transformed into practical printing filament through processes like those shown in this guide on How to Use Recycled PET Plastic as 3D Print Filament—we can see a trend of recycling now. Krill Design is an Italian company that turns food waste into a line of 3D printable filament called Rekrill – a bio-based polymer, which is a viable alternative designed for industrial processes and manufacturing.

They use surprising things like orange and lemon peels, coffee grounds, and also experiment with eggshells and tomatoes, and turn them into 3D printing filaments. This type of waste, which comes from the food industry, results in a special texture on the print, creating unique pieces of sustainable furniture using FDM technology. Their approach blends sustainability with innovation, turning waste into aesthetically pleasing, functional design objects, like lamps, clocks,

(source: Krill Design)

Did you know that JLC3DP offers five different filaments for FDM 3D printing services? Have a look at the price comparison easily!

Sustainability and Future Trends in 3d design for furniture

These projects have shown that the potential is enormous when it comes to recycling and upcycling while implementing technologies like 3D printing in the process, with the mindset of sustainability. Of course, it has its own challenges, like the material strength and durability, as well as the safety concerns when it comes to seating and load-bearing. But we can’t deny how ideal it is for designers who want to bring some new aspects and their creative expression to eco friendly furniture design.

In the context of 3d printing and sustainability, 3d  furniture benefits still outweigh the downsides. The unbeatable design freedom, low waste production, rapid prototyping, reduced material cost, light-weight structures, and complex, sophisticated pieces of furniture on demand are just some of the advantages.

It’s definitely a new era for artists and designers, powered by material innovation, and made accessible through a modern, but affordable technology like 3D printing.

👉Get sustainable material recommendations from JLC3DP’s support team!