UK design team Isomi, based in Manor Park, Cheshire, has developed the Knit One Chair, demonstrating how 3D knitting technology can unlock a more resourceful, intelligent way to make furniture.

3D knitting is, in essence, a digital manufacturing process that transforms a spool of yarn into a fully formed, three dimensional textile shape created directly on the knitting machine, without the need for cutting, stitching or excess trimming. This precise method has already reshaped industries like sportswear and footwear and is celebrated for its ability to produce complex forms with minimal waste and remarkable structural integrity.

In furniture, however, the possibilities of 3D knitting are only just beginning to be realised.

Traditionally, upholstery involves layering foams, fabrics and fillers which are subsequently glued and stapled into place – a process that generates off cuts, requires multiple materials, and makes recycling complicated at best.

In the creation of the Knit One Isomi, is rethinking this approach entirely and rather than foam, is exploting air. Rather than multiple layers, it has worked with a single knitted sleeve engineered to shape, using recycled yarns and mono filament structural fibres that give the knit both form and strength. The ribbed pattern references classic stitched upholstery but brings new texture and transparency, revealing how the piece is made rather than hiding it.

The result is a fully recyclable, fully reversible cover that simply drops over a lightweight metal frame with no glue, no off cuts and no hidden waste.

The value of 3D knitting extends far beyond what is visible, Isomi believes. It is inherently digital, enabling localised, on demand production that responds to need rather than producing stock that sits unused. It also reduces shipping impact – the Knit One frame arrives flat packed, assembled on site with minimal tools, while the knitted sleeve is light, easy to handle and designed for disassembly and recycling when its first life is done.

For Isomi, Knit One is more than a product but a statement of how the furniture industry can shift towards circular design principles and smarter, leaner manufacturing.

www.isomi.com