products with elements that can be modified in future to extend their lifespan, says Siu Lie Tan, partner of sustainability consultancy Exsulting. “A chair could have a base structure made of a durable material and smaller parts that can be detached and repaired or replaced if the shipowner wants to update the furniture’s aesthetic appearance during a refurbishment,” she says. “Being able to prolong the life of useful parts rather than changing the whole product decreases the chair’s environmental footprint and possibly minimises costs too.” Felicia Zwebner, CEO of furniture firm FZ Collection, believes there are “boundless opportunities” for the industry to change how it designs and manufactures products that will last for “generations to come”. “Beyond the confines of fleeting trends and disposable culture, lies the epicentre of timeless artistry,” she says. “We boldly champion longevity and have an unwavering commitment to delivering products with enduring quality and excellence. Our experts consider each product from both an aesthetic and a technical perspective, creating items with structural integrity in mind so they can be easily maintained.” A new approach to design While products that are designed to last play a crucial role in moving towards sustainable ship interiors, the industry must rethink the entire design process to achieve full circularity, says Tan. “We need to develop design practices in which we consume fewer resources when creating products,” she explains. To achieve this, Tan recommends designers follow the 9R Framework – refuse, rethink, reduce, reuse, repair, refurbish, remanufacture, repurpose, recycle and recovery. This helps designers ensure all raw materials are used and reused at their highest value throughout the ship’s life to prevent them from becoming wasted resources. “It all starts with questioning if we really need the products, or if we can improve their functionality, style and environmental impact in a different way,” says Tan. “For instance, by following the ‘refuse’ strategy, designers can make smarter use of existing elements such as lighting, colour or movable furniture to update a space, rather than using additional resources. Doing this omits the need for new items to be produced and transported to the FEATURE Founded by designer Felicia Zwebner, FZ Collection is a custom furniture and lighting line for the sea and land-based hospitality sectors as well as sophisticated corporate and commercial spaces. Each piece crafted by FZ Collection is the result of innovative and creative design meticulously produced using state of the art machinery and old-world European craftsmanship. www.fzcollection.net Designed by Studio DADO and fitted out by Marine Interiors, the atrium on Oceania Cruises’ Oceania Vista features natural stone materials, which are strong and durable
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