Illuminating the Future: Sustainability, Innovation, and Design with LightArt’s Adam Reeder

Transcript

Robert Nieminen:

Hello and welcome back to the I Hear Design podcast, your source for interior design and architecture news, interviews and opinions. I’m your host, Robert Nieminen, and with me today is a very special guest, Carrie Meadows, our new editor in Chief of interiors+sources magazine. Hey, Carrie, it’s. Great to have you on the podcast. Thanks for being here.

Carrie Meadows:

Thanks, Rob. It’s very exciting to be on my first episode of I Hear Design.

Robert Nieminen:

Yeah. Well, we’re excited to have you. So for our listeners out there who may not know who you are, Carrie joined i+s magazine this past July and has been doing a deep dive into the interior design industry, putting out some great content during the past several months with a lot more exciting editorial plan for 20/20. Vibe. But Carrie, what did you do prior to coming over to i+s?

Carrie Meadows:

Well, I’ve been in business to business media for more than 20 years now, having worked up to senior level positions on teams that spanned a variety of tech fields. Most recently I served as editor in chief of LED’s magazine, which evolved from a global market opportunity to the engineering of. LED’s for use as light sources and then to a more application driven direction, mainly how LED’s serve in general in architectural lighting, products and design.

Robert Nieminen:

Right, right. And I understand you recently had a conversation with the folks at LightArt, which is going to be the focus of this episode. But before we listen into that conversation, can you set it up for us a little bit? Like, how did you discover LightArt and what did you discuss in your conversation?

Carrie Meadows:

Sure. You know in the lighting industry, it has been a little bit behind in terms of some of the issues that I’ve learned now. Have been happening and been addressed in interior design, so I was looking into the impact of sustainability demands on materials and assembly initiatives that we’re just starting to pop up and LightArt in its materials partner. 3form got on my radar. So in turn I spoke with light. That president, Adam Reeder:, who provided insights into the relationship between 3form. And LightArt and how they merge biophilic design with innovations in recycled materials. And it’s speaking to Adam. I’ve learned that his main goal with LightArt is to keep pushing for designs that combine creativity and functionality with environmental and social awareness in a way that’s also economically viable. So that’s what we discussed.

Robert Nieminen:

Yeah, that’s great. And umm, I’m excited to share this conversation with our listeners and I know you covered a lot of ground in your interview. So let’s get right to it. Here is Carrie Meadows’ conversation with LightArt’s, Adam Reeder.

Carrie Meadows:

In today’s episode, we’re speaking with Adam Reeder, president of custom lighting firm LightArt. Since 2005, LightArt has leveraged the architectural backgrounds of founders Ryan Smith and on a holder to deliver light fixtures assembled by hand with locally sourced parts. From acoustic to artisanal styles, LightArt’s fixtures offer geometric sculptural and modular form factors in various configurations to each customer’s specifications. Adam joined LightArt in 2016 from materials partner 3form. He continues to help grow the firm’s reputation for merging biophilic design with innovative recycled materials. Today we’ll be discussing how LightArt approaches the design, sourcing and manufacture of fixtures with an eye towards sustainability and social responsibility. Welcome, Adam. We’re delighted to have you join us.

Adam Reeder:

Wonderful. Thank you. I’m excited to be here with you today.

Carrie Meadows:

Excellent. So to start, could you brief our listeners on the relationship between 3form and LightArt?

Adam Reeder:

Absolutely. So there is a great relationship between these two companies, 3form from just a very clear. Simple perspective would be the owner of LightArt, so LightArt is a subsidiary of 3form 3form is a materials manufacturer that was introduced to LightArt a number of years ago going back as far as 2008 is when that relationship first. Started and since then 3form has been supporting LightArt with any number of things through material innovation design. When needed, manufacturing and other essential items in order to maintain. But it’s a great relationship and one that we we actually do a lot of things both ways. There’s synergies coming from both 3form and from LightArt in that relationship.

Carrie Meadows:

That sounds very unique to me in the marketplace. So how do materials influence or inform the process and the designs at LightArt?

Adam Reeder:

Yeah. So that is where I think LightArt is unique. And to make it a little bit more personal, that’s my background. So my background is in materials. So I came from the architectural material world specifically from 3form and so LightArt has operated like what I would say is a non traditional commercial lighting manufacturer. We started with. Our core competency in materials and how materials behave and looking at sustainable materials, materials that also met a unique, whether it was color or translucency and so that’s where we started. We didn’t start in a traditional form or a traditional manner where we had a lighting technology. And then built off of that, we actually built lighting around a material. So it’s a very unique position to be in as a manufacturer having this great material architectural material manufacturer supporting us along. In a way. So there’s a lot of innovation and a lot of time that’s spent looking into how materials are going to behave and their form factor. And then when you start to introduce sustainability into the conversation, then you start to open up another Pandora’s box of material options, whether that’s. Opaque materials or translucent materials, or a combination of both. You start to get to some really unique applications and use of the material so. So from an influence, yes, we do use and leverage our knowledge of materials to come up with inspiration and design. We also do use a large network of both internal research and development teams, marketing, sales and operations teams. To help us with those inspirations that were presented.

Speaker

Yes.

Carrie Meadows:

It sounds like a really exciting model and not one that I hear is that commonly used, and there’s another interesting term that I heard recently with regard to LightArt. Not long ago, a LightSpec colleague cited molecular recycling as a process involved in the production of your. The latest 3D printed luminaires, what does molecular recycling mean and how does that type of material impact sustainability effort?

Adam Reeder:

Yeah. So that’s a really exciting development in material and to give you a bit of a background on that particular printed or additive manufacturing approach, we challenged ourselves early on to turn our own waste into something. Beautiful. And so that started with looking at our own waste streams. And so we could see that we had off cuts or products that were bound for a landfill. And we wanted to figure out a way that we could divert it but also make it tangible for everybody that’s in the process, whether that’s manufacturing or assembly or design. And not leave it to something that I often find you can get really wrapped up in, in the complexities or the academia of sustainability, which is all valid and has its merit. But we wanted to make it more tangible. So that’s what led to our first product. First additive manufactured product or 3D printed product which was coil which incorporated our own waste streams and that was also in partnership with 3form 3form who is a larger resin producer and manufacturer. We were able to use and incorporate their off cuts and trim into our product through a mechanical recycled product so. Think about taking the waste, separating it into its various waste streams, grinding it up, and then producing that, using that to produce a product. So that was the first pass. And that was a that was something that we could all relate to, but it still had some limitations. You only had certain material types that you could introduce into that particular waste stream to then produce a product. So then we went the next level, we raised the bar and we worked with an outside group by the name of Ocean Works to develop our ocean coil line. And that was where you’re now looking at a much larger. Post consumer industrial way or post consumer waste, not just a pre consumer or post industrialist. You’re now looking at all of the waste that’s out there. And so we worked with the group named Ocean Works to work with and capture their near shore and ocean bound plastic. So thinking. Of the waterways and things like that that are impacted with single use plastic, we work with them to collect that mechanically recycle that and then incorporate that into a fixture. So that process of mechanically recycling. The product can only be done so many times until you start to degrade or erode the properties of the resin, and you can’t necessarily use it in that and for that purpose anymore. So then came this magnificent concept of molecular recycling, which it’s it’s no longer biased. As far as the polymer that can go into it, it’s not limited. To for example of one or two. When you look at the bottom of your single use plastic, HP or PET, it’s no longer limited to that particular family of products. It’s now opening the door to anything that’s a polymer. Think of your single use, fast food containers. Think of your athletic wear with polymers. Think of carpet. Carpet. Covers so all of that can now be broken down through a process of depolymerization that takes it into its molecular form, and then that can then be introduced into the production cycle to produce and optically clearer product, which is what led us to the clear coil so clear and clear. Fixtures for us has always been something out there that we’d love to do, but you have some challenges getting to clear, whether that’s using traditional products like glass, glass is a great product, but it’s not very easy to. Work with in some small scale resin is, but sometimes getting that clarity and resin can be challenging, especially if it’s recycled. So now you have a molecular recycled product that’s made from 100% post consumer products introduced into this depolymerization process broken down and then produced. So you’re you’re no longer. Extracting fossil fuels in order to create virgin material, you’re now using our everyday waste stream that has that polymer product in it. So it’s an incredible position and it’s an incredible story to tell because first we started with what was our own way. Stream we approached that with our first version of Quail. Then we went to what is more of a global issue. We’ve got a single use plastic issue that’s out there that’s impacting the waterways. Now. We said what what else is there to do? How else can you raise the bar? Well, now we’re looking at all of the polymers that are used and capturing that through this molecular recycled process and incorporating it. So we now have. A 100% recycled material or 100% recycled. Additive manufactured product in clear coil. So we’ve taken two really challenging topics which are recycled content and 100% not limited to post industrial or some other way stream, but true 100% post consumer recycled product and clear to develop this product. Two really challenging initiatives, clear and 100% recycle is what led to that inspiration and ultimate launch of this clear coil product.

Carrie Meadows:

I’ve seen the photos of the product and I am relatively certain that they don’t do it just. It is a very striking product and it’s exciting to hear that you’re able to work with materials that normally would end up just continuing into the waste stream and continuing to impact the environment. And so, Speaking of environmental challenges, we’re seeing that the industry and at lighting events and in market transformation initiatives, they’re growing to support manual. Structurers helping to evolve their supply chain, logistics and manufacturing approaches for decarbonization so beyond the recycled materials opportunities, what does the company do now or what does it plan to pursue for increasing sustainability?

Adam Reeder:

It’s it’s a, it’s. A great question and it’s and it’s definitely involves a lot of players in building that strategy on what we do next and. As I think through that question, one of the things that just popped in my mind is how I would help inform the market on what we’re doing and how we’re getting there. We’re pursuing sustainable practices in the way that we produce and source material and we and we’ve achieved that or we recognize that through a declare label certification, which is a common. Label or certification that’s out there for manufacturers to identify what’s going into their product. The other pursuit that that we take on, not just at lighter but at 3form, and we benefit from this is the just label. So the just label is the basically it’s the nutrition facts for a corporate entity or company. And so that particular label stands for. Both social and just equitable organizational organization practices and so. We put that out there, we advertise that, or rather we promote that, that we take that particular approach to running the organization seriously. So that’s looking at equitable practices, safe and sustainable material sourcing along with some other practices. And it’s it’s quite revealing and it’s a very arduous. Process to. Go through but that is the direction that we’re going in order to stand out and braise the bar for other manufacturers on what they can do to also be sustainably minded not just from a material standpoint but from a social standpoint of all of the impacts and things that we can do as manufacturers.

Carrie Meadows:

It’s a really exciting time to be talking about things like this because we’re starting to see more attention to things like the environmental product declarations, product and materials transparency, how do products and how do company operations. Have an impact on the total carbon emissions that are given off by any particular part of the process. So. We’re starting to see a lot more of that and I think it’s becoming a little bit more sought after, at least I hope it is based on some of the conversations we’ve had, how’s the marketplace responding to sustainability first products?

Adam Reeder:

So I have the opportunity to look at both kind of a micro economic standpoint and then a macro given the position that I’m in and and just the reach that we have through both 3form and. Dinar. That when I think about this little micro economy that is the Pacific Northwest, there is a very and it’s been a long standing narrative of finding and supporting manufacturers that have the sustainable practice. And then also there’s been a support on the side of the. Designers making sure that their clients understand the benefit and the impact, and so there’s that narrative has been one that’s been going around and and used quite a bit to our benefit and to other manufacturers benefit of getting a sustainable first message adopt. Even when you get into some other markets, it’s been a little bit of a longer road to get there, but that narrative is now starting to to catch on and it’s when you can start to make it tangible for us. That’s where we’ve seen a return. When we started to have, whether it was our own waste incorporated into a product or it was now. A clear product or an ocean works product. Those made it very tangible for the market to now accept and promote. As well, you can get lost in a number of I would, I would say, sustainable efforts that may not be as tangible and that’s been hard to promote as a manufacturer or hard to promote as an individual is. There’s you, you’re so many steps away from that impact. But when you can start to show your real. Efforts of here’s how an assembly took place with this sustainable product. You’re actually, you know, we can actually contribute our own waste into that process. Then you start to get. That adoption going forward, so I’d say the market to the original question, how’s the marketplace responding? It’s positive. It is a very well received and positive market and we see both the design community and the specification community paying more attention to those labels, making sure your read list. Free that you have also pursued a sustainable and safe approach to sourcing your products, so it is becoming wider adopted. We’re also seeing manufacturers and larger vendors. Of ours being more participatory in some of those exercises. When you are looking for an ingredients list of vendors are not too willing to give you that ingredient list that has shifted. We’ve seen them being more participatory and sharing that. Ingredients list so that as you’re looking at from a lighting fixture, you’re looking from not just the shade material, but you’re looking at the the housing, the lights, the lenses, the power cords, the drivers, the canopies. You’ve got a lot of different vendors that can potentially be involved in that, and it’s been a I’ve been on this. Path for a long time in material, the material transparency and I’d say definitely within the last four or five years, it has been been received better and I see the market coming around more to it. And the other thing that you see closing is there’s been a big gap in the price point. There’s been a big gap in the price for. Sustainably sourced product and a we we what I guess you would call a virgin product or a commodity product and as soon as we can start to close the gap on some of those prices then you start to get that adoption as well. And I think with our products and our practices, we’re finding that balance. There’s still some room to go or there’s still some distance to go before we actually get those in parity, both price and sustainability. But that gap is closing.

Carrie Meadows:

Again, I’ll say it it’s an exciting time. It’s really thrilling to me. Know that some of our listeners will probably be laughing in the background, but it is. It’s really thrilling to me to see the advances that have been taking form over the years since I started working with LED’s magazine and covering the lighting industry, you know, initially. Of course, most of the hot topics were around the energy efficiency and operation, thermal stability of components and things like that, and now we’re starting to get into this really interesting phase of recognizing the opportunities for innovation. In materials and in design and in the way that we think about the end of life of fixtures and everything that goes inside them as well, so really. Really excited to be talking about this with more companies and looking forward to seeing what else LightArt is going to come up with.

Adam Reeder:

Thank you. Yes, we we’re constantly challenging ourselves. We love the inspiration. We love the ideas that are brought to us through lighting designers, interior designers, architects and engineers. End users. We love being challenged, so keep bringing us those we are very comfortable in that world. Of both custom and large scale and so. Let’s keep it coming.

Carrie Meadows:

That’s what we like to hear. Well, thank you so much again, Adam, for joining us today. And we will have more information and some links to the LightArt website, 3form and other resources in our episode notes.

Adam Reeder:

Wonderful. Thank you for your time. Appreciate it.

Carrie Meadows:

Thank you.