Interview on the use of recycled materials

The co-founder of Impact Acoustic AG and developer of ARCHISONIC® describes himself as a quick thinker. As an entrepreneur, Sven Erni is fully committed to the approach of combining functionality, design and sustainability. All company activities should go hand in hand with sustainable development goals. Archisonic’s own acoustic material, made from recycled PET bottles, forms the basis of the more than 80 products in the Impact Acoustic range. Sven Erni’s management style is characterized by the constant incorporation of global trends and innovations from the architecture and design industry.

Visplay: Mr. Erni, could you briefly explain what is so special about the Archisonic acoustic felt from Impact Acoustic?

It's simple: Archisonic offers not only excellent acoustic properties but also a harmonious colour scheme - all our colours can be freely combined with each other - and a unique quality of the visible edges. This means that the material can be used completely unprotected, which is entirely in the spirit of dematerialisation and sustainability. The acoustic felt is made from recycled disposable plastic bottles. This is classic upcycling: a used material is used as a component for a new, high-quality product.

Visplay: Isn't using used plastic bottles an incredible extra expense?

The use of recycled fibers in the manufacture of our products is actually more costly and makes production more expensive, which is also why many competitors use no or only a very low recycled content in their boards. We firmly believe that we humans can only be successful if we also care for the environment, so any extra effort is worth it to us. We also consciously advocate less consumption of plastic bottles and actively sensitize our customers to do the same.

Visplay: How many bottles does it take to make the acoustic felt?

Archisonic is proven to use at least 88 disposable plastic bottles per square meter, which we have also certified by an independent testing institute. The material is manufactured in the same way as conventional wool felt.

Visplay: Can customers understand Archisonic's sustainability in any way?

Archisonic is both LEED accredited and Cradle to Cradle® certified. Our entire corporate structure is based on using as few resources as possible in both manufacturing and production. We use renewable energy throughout the production cycle and keep water consumption to an absolute minimum.

Visplay: Is there a standard product range from which the customer can choose?

Archisonic is flexible in its application. The material has so many possible applications that it literally offers limitless possibilities for overcoming acoustic challenges - such as for the pin and acoustic boards for the FOS (Flexible Office System).

Visplay: Of course, we also wanted to talk about that. Why do you think the material is suitable for our mobile system FOS?

On the one hand, acoustics is one of the major problem areas in open office environments, and the FOS is a typical product for precisely such offices. On the other hand, I have noticed in my collaboration with Visplay that the company's sense of responsibility for environmental and sustainability issues is very pronounced. So far, this has been expressed in very durable and functional systems. The fact that new paths are now also being taken in the choice of materials is a further expression of this attitude.