In 2020, when the rest of Australia was trapped behind masks bereft of energy or motivation, Ash Fischer was pushing the boundaries of Australian contemporary design, implementing sustainability as the core value of his works and founding Sydney-based sustainable design company Fisch Designs.

Recipient of the Powerhouse Carl Nielsen Design Accelerator 2023, Fischer continues to redefine Australia’s contemporary design landscape, blending aesthetics with his commitment to sustainability through the use of unconventional materials. His maiden collection for Fisch Designs included an ashtray made from recycled vapes.

With its latest masterpiece, The Camada Daybed, Fisch Designs sits at the vanguard of innovation, blending a retro-futuristic aesthetic with functional elegance. 

The product of a collaboration with visionary founder of ditto and current sustainability manager at CH4 Global, Orlando Hayes, transcends mere utility to emerge as a paragon of sustainable design excellence. The alliance with Ash Fischer heralds a profound transformation for Fisch Designs, elevating the brand’s commitment to eco-friendly materials and conscientious production practices to the very pinnacle of its design ethos.

Ecological principles in object design

Embodying the philosophy that discarded materials are not merely waste, but rather a canvass to reimagining sustainable luxury, The Camada Daybed stands as a resplendent example of design excellence, exploring the integration of wider ecological and human systems that Hayes cultivated in his formative years as a designer. In the nascent stages of his career at ditto, Hayes employed 3D scanning technology to replicate and reimagine the human form, subsequently exploring environmental design where he intersected creatively with Fischer’s space.

Immediately realising Hayes’ expertise, Fischer sought his collaboration on The Camada Daybed. Over the next eight months, the duo transformed the bed from a mere concept to a prototype that exemplified their shared vision of reimagining material possibilities with contemporary design.

“Orlando has really stepped up my game in thinking about what is possible,” Fischer says. “An example of this is a very loose concept we had with the upholsterer, where the fabric is attached to the plastic sheet without using staples, instead using an anchoring system within the plastic sheet, allowing the user to wash the fabric.

Hayes says of the collaboration: “Our goal was to create something that both addresses the environmental impact of its creation and stands as a beautiful piece of design. Throughout the process, I learned so much about design and found immense joy in creating something meaningful.”

The daybed features Kvadrat Vidar 4 fabric, a playful green that perfectly juxtaposes the marble-like plastic base. Fischer says the choice of fabric perfectly aligns with his design ethos, in which he often appropriates tropes of the mid-century with a continuous colour scheme.

Turning things into other things

Crafted almost entirely from 100 percent recycled plastics — sourced from discarded shampoo, conditioner and milk containers and processed at DEFY Design — the daybed’s surface is composed of horizontally arranged sheets of the repurposed material. This design draws inspiration from Fisch’s innovative approach, which involves reimagining existing objects with a playful spirit, transforming their fundamental dimensions, shapes and materials. Fisch says the aesthetic of the daybed’s individual layers was influenced by the metal banding found on vintage tables and bar tops.

The daybed’s groundbreaking design extends to its hardware, which employs recyclable HDPE pins in lieu of heavy metal hardware to connect its structural elements. This choice not only enhances durability but also facilitates the ease of disassembly, ensuring the components can be efficiently recycled at the end of their lifecycle.

“While structurally sound, the prototype of The Camada Daybed was rather heavy for consumer use. Through continuous meetings with our mentor, Adam Goodrum, we were able to develop a new design that weighed 30% less than the prototype,” Fischer recalls.

The Camada Daybed represents a brighter future in sustainable design and will continue to set the standard for harmonising aesthetics and eco-friendly materials to produce beautiful pieces of design.

“Looking into the future, Orlando and I are committed to continuing our exploration of sustainable materials and practices,” Fischer says. “With greater awareness of the impact of materials on the planet and ecosystems, we are investigating new materials developed from waste and biodegradable polymers such as seaweed, bio-resin, hemp and clay. New materials take time to perforate into the industry, and we want to fast track this process by providing examples of new designs that use these materials yet stand alone as beautiful pieces of design.”

The Camada Daybed has named Ash Fisch and Orlando Hayes as recipients of the prestigious 2023 Carl Nielsen Design Accelerator program, an honour that Powerhouse bestows upon only one Australian-designed project for outstanding design in sustainability per year.

Experience the sustainable luxury of The Camada Daybed at Fisch Designs.

Discover more sustainable furniture with Mater’s ‘Conscious Collection’.