Mutualism is a collaboration between two makers with distinct approaches to sustainable design. Blom & Blom specialises in restoring curated industrial lights, while vanPlestik focuses on recycling plastic into bespoke circular products. Both methods however, blend machining and manual craftsmanship, resulting in carefully crafted, unique products.
In this collaboration they unite their design experience and material knowledge to create a collection of lights, crafted almost entirely from recycled materials. During DDW ‘24 they will give a sneak peak of the first lamp from Mutualism. This pendant lamp combines the modern art of 3D printing and the traditional craft of copper casting. Bringing together two contrasting materials that both arise from re-melting pre-owned material.
The lamp features two 3D-printed shades held together by a hand-cast copper ring. Although these materials have contrasting features and qualities, they share unexpected similarities. Both materials are commonly found in mundane items like packaging, wiring, enclosures, and plumbing - often overlooked and easily discarded. By processing these undervalued materials differently, more thoughtfully, we can reveal their true potential and see them for what they are.

The hand-cast copper ring is melted from copper scrap and treated with oxidation to create a marbled, patinated surface. The shades of the lamp are 3D-printed from packaging waste. The slight imperfections in this extruded material combined with the thick wobbly layers, create a rich and glass-like effect.
By reinterpreting/reimagining low-value and easily discarded materials, we aim to offer a new perspective.
*This product is produced and assembled in the Netherlands and made almost entirely from recycled materials. The design is fully modular and ready for repair and future recycling.