Furniture from the printer? These designs impress at first glance

Pia Seidel

5.6.2025

Translation: machine translated

Pictures: Pia Seidel

3D printing is conquering the furniture world - slowly, but with style. At Milan Design Week 2025, creative studios showed just how much potential there is in this technology. From sustainable materials to bold shapes: These seven brands impressed.

The combination of 3D printing and furniture is not yet commonplace, but that's what makes it so exciting. It's not about mass production, but about fresh shapes, processes and designs that stand out. Here are seven brands that really made an impression with their 3D printed furniture and home accessories at Milan Design Week 2025.

1. looks like art, smells like fruit

Zara Adler presented its latest collection at the Salone Satellite, which shone with innovative material research and exceptional design. The highlight: the 3D-printed bowl «Coma». It looks like a small cloud, emits soft, diffused light and captures the scent of fresh fruit. «I wanted to create something that not only looks beautiful, but also appeals to the senses», explains Adler. The bowl is also multifunctional and can be used as a vase or a side table.

The designer, who studied architecture in Spain and Denmark, is known for experimenting with materials that others would simply throw away. «For me, waste is just the beginning», she says. Her works, such as the object «Coma», are made from rPETG - a recycled plastic obtained from plastic waste.

2. time that takes shape - a clock that is created while cooking

Leo Koda, a Japanese designer from Eindhoven, combines playful ideas with a deep understanding of materials. His collection «In Fill Out», including the «Wall Clock», is created using heat and utilises a special type of infill that allows the shape to change as soon as they are placed in hot water. «When boiled in hot water, the 3D-printed object inflates due to the air inside», explains Koda. The result: a soft, organic shape that makes each piece unique.

3. ceramics, rethought

Using 3D printing instead of a potter's wheel, Cera Lab creates ceramics that are minimalist, modern and a little futuristic. Behind the label is Jan Contala from Innsbruck, who programmes instead of drawing - algorithmic design, as it is called. «The 3D print gives us the opportunity to create shapes that would be almost impossible to do by hand», he explains. The result is sculptural cups, vases or coffee tables. At the same time, the whole thing scores points for sustainability: ceramics are durable and the printing process produces hardly any waste.

Jan originally wanted to design facades, but today the focus is on interiors. «We can experiment with smaller objects and develop our technique further», he says. His goal: ceramics that combine craftsmanship and high-tech - and are simply different.

4. looks like handmade, comes from VR

While Jan Contala favours real ceramics and traditional craftsmanship, Ralf Gloudemans takes a completely different approach. His project «Transcending: Mesh to Matter» combines digital technology with the aesthetics of craftsmanship. To do this, he models and refines 3D mesh models in virtual reality that look like handmade ceramics - with a digital twist. «I wanted to show how physical and digital worlds can merge», explains Gloudemans. The objects are a tribute to artisanal culture and at the same time a glimpse into the future of design.

5. soft and wavy: furniture with a knitted look

In their studio in Rotterdam, The New Raw transforms plastic waste into furniture and objects, layer by layer using a robotic process. «We celebrate the transformation of waste into durable design», says the team. One eye-catcher was on display in the Alcova exhibition: the «Pot Plus Triangle» bench. «It is both a bench and a plant pot». Perfect for indoors and outdoors, the piece impresses with its clean lines and natural cream and earthy colours.

The stool «Knotty» also stands out immediately. Its digitally knitted surface allows water and air to pass through and plays with light and shadow. «This makes it not only functional, but also sculptural», according to the Dutch company. The stool is particularly eye-catching when stacked.

6. locally printed, globally thought

In an abandoned factory in Alcova, the installation «Portal» showed how design and technology can merge. It consisted of ten chairs that were 3D printed live on site. «'Portal' is our vision of local production and global design», according to the team. The showstopper? The «Cloud Chair». With its flowing forms, it is reminiscent of clouds and invites you to dream.

Another eye-catcher was the «Contour Chair» with its floating metal armrests and seamless surface that combines industrial charm and elegance. Inspired by the grace of draped fabrics on solid structures, the chair combines 3D-printed elements with elegant metal details. «The collection shows how far this technology can take design», according to the design company.

Pia Seidel

Senior Editor

Pia.Seidel@digitecgalaxus.ch

Like a cheerleader, I love celebrating good design and bringing you closer to everything furniture- and interior design- related. I regularly curate simple yet sophisticated interior ideas, report on trends and interview creative minds about their work.

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