As a fine artist and designer, Sarah Tracton is thrilled to be part of a paradigm shift in the architecture and design sector. This shift involves moving away from purchasing materials that end up in landfill and transforming behavioural thinking from linear to circular.

Amid today’s growing tide of waste, Tracton believes designing lighting to endure for generations is the responsible choice. “Mass-produced, fast furniture continues to proliferate despite a growing awareness of environmental sustainability,” says Tracton, who was a shortlisted artist for product design lighting in IDEA 2023.

A BFA graduate of the National Art School in Sydney, Tracton is excited to help drive a paradigm shift in architecture and design by moving away from landfill-bound materials and promoting circular thinking.

At the heart of the circular movement is the credo, ‘repair, reuse and maintain’.

Tracton’s use of homegrown Australian porcelain, which she calls a “forever material”, results in the sustainable pieces of handcrafted lighting she creates. As an artisan, Tracton says she works only with local materials by hand-sourcing local suppliers, which minimises overseas freight and carbon offsets. “Small-batch handcrafting is a minimal or zero-waste process,” Tracton says.

She also practises the centuries-old Japanese technique of kintsugi, a process that acknowledges fissures and breaks in a material by making the repairs — usually done with gold leaf — visible. It is an idea that celebrates vulnerability and the delicate process of making. 

“This act of transformative repair exemplifies the philosophy of the circular economy,” Tracton says. “Rescuing otherwise discarded materials not only restores the functionality of the object but celebrates the scars of its history.”

A shift to sustainable practices

Disposing of furniture en masse is a recent phenomenon. Furniture that was previously made to last a lifetime has shifted to a reduction in quality and a perceived disposability, making a huge impact on the planet. In fact, according to Australian sustainable furniture maker Koskela, it is estimated the amount of furniture dumped in Sydney’s landfills every year is the equivalent of 800,000 three-seater sofas, 1.65 million dining tables, 3.5 million coffee tables or nearly 7 million chairs.

Tracton believes by making better choices about what we buy now, we can return to a halcyon time when the local craftsman, who used local materials, was our first port of call. She says driving positive change around the considered use and re-use of materials can only come through collective community effort. Tracton believes we need to remove the word ‘waste’ from our vocabulary altogether and see it for what it truly is: materials — plastic, metal, timber and textiles. She says changing the terminology is the first step toward a truly circular economy.

Sarah Tracton’s innovative, sustainable lighting solutions will be on exhibit at the inaugural Green Design Show as part of the Decor + Design event, from 17 to 19 July at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. 

Lead image: Kintsugi Light on Instyle sustainable Crypton fabric. Photo: Sarah Tracton

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