How Plastics Are Supporting 2020 Furniture Trends in Homes and Businesses

When it comes to thinking of trendy furniture materials, it's usually wood, glass, metal, and of course, fabric that comes to mind. Most people may not think of plastics used in furniture, but that doesn't mean there's no place for it in both commercial and residential furniture trends. Our injection molding company in North Carolina is taking the opportunity to highlight some of the latest furniture trends that rely on plastic.

Commercial and Office Furniture Trends Using Plastic

While most of us haven't been using commercial office furniture in 2020 due to COVID-19, as places of work open back up, there are some innovations taking place in both aesthetics and practical furnishings.

Privacy Pods

The open layout office has actually proven to do more harm than good. Instead of fostering collaboration and camaraderie, they lack of privacy and constant distraction is creating a less pleasant work environment. This doesn't mean it's time to go back to the cubicle, though, as they made workers feel boxed in and cramped.

Now, we're seeing privacy pods pop up. These plastic enclosed spaces offer private spaces among open floor plans where employees can get quiet space to work without distraction while the open sections can be used for collaboration. Made from durable plastic with lighting and a built in desk, these pods are light enough to be moved as needed but sturdy and stable enough to offer a retreat.

Height Adjustable Desks

After reports showed that long periods of sitting led to severe health problems, the standing desk became the office furniture staple. The problem is that only having the opportunity to stand to do work was distracting and uncomfortable for most workers and even impossible for people with feet and back problems. Instead of choosing one or the other, plastics are being used for height adjustable desks that let workers create their own workspace, easily able to shift from sitting to standing throughout the day without having to move all their stuff.

Modern Accent Pieces

Bolder styles, eclectic shapes, and bolder decor is making a bigger splash in office decor and design. Much of this is achieved through thermoformed acrylic because it offers a high-gloss, ultra-modern look that can be tinted, dyed, or colored in just about any shade while still having the durability and ease of cleaning that comes with having a plastic.

Social Distance Features

Due to COVID-19, social distancing in the work place is a necessity, and even in open and coworking areas, having acrylic dividers around workspaces minimizes the spread and helps keep people safer. While it's not necessarily a design or aesthetic trend, partitions and dividers are certainly increasing in popularity.

Home Furniture Trends Using Plastics

While most people are more used to seeing plastics in commercial furniture, like the arms of computer chairs, tables, and file cabinets, it's also used in the home, even in higher-end pieces. While much of the showrooms and design pieces highlight a return to nature, warm tones, and sustainability, there is a place for plastic too.

Performance Fabric

Gone are the days where a spilled drink or a dirty pet meant the couch was ruined. Performance fabrics offer incredible durability, are easy to clean, and resist tears, snags, and pilling. Originally, many performance fabrics were coated in chemicals to make them more resistant to tears and stains, but today, the fibers themselves are designed to hold up.

What makes them so durable? They're often woven with plastics. For example, Revolution® is made from 100 percent olefin and is not only upcycled from petroleum, it's easy to recycle. Acrylic and PVC are also woven into many common brands of performance fabric to ensure they stand up to what live throws at it without losing it's attractive appearance.

Curved Furniture Pieces

Inspired by mid-century modern pieces, furniture in 2020 has some curves and waves to them to provide a softer, more comfortable feel. Often, these pieces will be thermoformed to provide the curves throughout pieces in an accurate, uniform manner - especially for things like chair and table legs.

Contact Us for Furniture Thermoforming Services

Advanced Plastiform, Inc. works with furniture manufacturers across the South and Mid-Atlantic, designing, prototyping, and manufacturing high-quality plastic components and pieces to be used in furniture. We take pride in ensuring durability and quality along with fast lead times and low per-unit pricing. Located near Raleigh, just outside of the heart of the furniture manufacturing industry, we proudly serve manufacturers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Tennessee, Georgia, and Virginia.