b-ing Design
L'estoc
Design and Solidarity
L’estoc is a solidarity design project founded on ecological principles which is both a sophisticated design concept and a worthy non-profit commercial venture. The idea is to produce and sell own brand designer furniture made using recycled materials and discarded furniture items through the labour of craftsmen and women who have an intellectual disability. Founded by Jordi Mayals in 2010 who was inspired by his own brother to create a craft based activity that could also be commercially viable using recycled materials. “More than 300,000 tonnes of waste ends up in recycling centres each year, and it occurred to me that most of the things that end up there could have a second life,” according to Jordi. That’s how the idea of finding a formula to convert waste into a valuable resource.
Located in the Poblenou/22@ neighbourhood the rapidly evolving new creative hub of Barcelona, the L’estoc showroom is both a shop and a workshop. This bright and airy space provides a great work environment and a showcase for the unique designs which are popular with both individual clients as well as contract clients.
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The combination and re-imagining of materials is the defining character of L’estoc; a window shutter is converted into a bench or a screen, a door becomes a dining table and a cradle gets made into a child’s writing desk. Quality materials are respected, each item is given a new value. The passage of time is contrasted with a fresh, colourful and inventive take. Each piece is identified with a number, as each is a none-off.
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There are 378,00 registered disabled persons in Catalonia, 10.6 % of whom have an intellectual disability. Almost half of this number are of working age but there are currently only 78,000 in employment. L’estoc offers a wide variety of possibilities for young and older workers, who are involved with each step of the way with each piece: repairs, the required treatment, polishing, painting and the final varnishing.
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A recycled door and sewing machine base become a dining table
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A recycled chair, reupholstered and painted
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Each of the pieces is given its own individual number
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- L’estoc
- Almogàvers, 225
- 08018 Barcelona
- T. 93 309 3353
- www.lestoc.com