Recycled Materials and Innovative Low-Energy Designs Shine at Paris’ Maison & Objet

There was huge amount of intriguing work on display at this year's Maison &amp; Oject at <a title="Paris' Grand Maison&amp;Objet Trade Show: Recycled vs. Low-Energy" href="http://www.parisdesignweek.fr/en/" target="_blank">Paris Design Week</a>'s . From a Dutch company—<a title="Paris' Grand Maison&amp;Objet Trade Show: Recycled vs. Low-Energy" href="http://www.ayilluminate.com/" target="_blank">Ay Illuminate</a>— that sources natural waste materials from Asia, Ethiopia and Swaziland to make handcrafted, ethereal lamps, to a Japanese firm that creates Lego-inspired bricks from tea and coffee grounds, we've rounded up some of the best efficient designs that utilize recycled materials in this year's Maison &amp; Objet.

One of our favorite finds, <a title="https://www.sneakpeeq.com/colors " href="https://www.sneakpeeq.com/colors" target="_blank">COLORS</a>' Chiba is a Japanese take on classic Danish LEGO bricks made from recycled coffee beans, tea and wood chips—and it smells great!.

Ground coffee was pretty big at this year's Maison&amp;Objet mega-exhibition, this time Korean housewares brand <a title="Paris' Grand Maison&amp;Objet Trade Show: Recycled vs. Low-Energy" href="Recycled vs. Low-Energy" target="_blank">EcoJun</a> used the tasty beans (and also corn starch) to create stylish biodegradable take-away cups for tea and coffee.

Finnish duo <a title="Paris' Grand Maison&amp;Objet Trade Show: Recycled vs. Low-Energy" href="http://www.ko-ho.fi/" target="_blank">Ko-Ho</a> use local fast-growing produce to create these gorgeous stackable, very robust and recyclable chairs which are made from <a title="Paris' Grand Maison&amp;Objet Trade Show: Recycled vs. Low-Energy" href="http://inhabitat.com/werner-aisslingers-hemp-chair-is-a-modern-alternative-to-stackable-seating/" target="_blank">hemp</a>!

Carla Peters from <a title="http://www.wonderable.com/?wbs=c21hbGw= " href="http://www.wonderable.com/?wbs=c21hbGw=" target="_blank">Wonderable</a> exhibited her adorable collection of Fair Trade pendant lamps, that are constructed by artisans using recycled waste paper collected from Vietnamese printing companies.

An <a title="Paris' Grand Maison&amp;Objet Trade Show: Recycled vs. Low-Energy" href="http://inhabitat.com/newspaperwood.../vij5_newspaper_lumber3 " target="_blank">Inhabitat's</a> recycled classic, the Newspaper Wood minimal bench by Dutch studio <a title="Paris' Grand Maison&amp;Objet Trade Show: Recycled vs. Low-Energy" href="http://www.vij5.nl/" target="_blank">Vij5</a>.

<a title="http://www.idcook.com/en/ " href="http://www.idcook.com/en/" target="_blank"> ID Cook</a>'s low-energy barbeque <a title="Paris' Grand Maison&amp;Objet Trade Show: Recycled vs. Low-Energy" href="http://inhabitat.com/kyoto-box-wins-climate-change-challenge/" target="_blank">Solaire</a> COOKUP INOX is a great alternative to charcoal. Made from recyclable aluminum and MDF it comes in a flat-pack design and can be heated up to 200C.

Using beech wood, pens, pegs, wax, elastic bands and a bike's inner tube's piece, the British <a title="Paris' Grand Maison&amp;Objet Trade Show: Recycled vs. Low-Energy" href="http://www.alllovelystuff.com/" target="_blank">All Lovely Stuff</a> design studio created a low-tech and very cool drawing machine.

Arik Levy and Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance showcased their latest low-energy outdoor hanging lamp for <a title="Paris' Grand Maison&amp;Objet Trade Show: Recycled vs. Low-Energy" href="http://www.forestier.fr/produits.php" target="_blank">Forestier</a>. It draws inspiration from traditional <a title="Paris' Grand Maison&amp;Objet Trade Show: Recycled vs. Low-Energy" href="http://inhabitat.com/precious-pieces-japanese-eco-washi-lanterns/" target="_blank">Chinese paper lanterns</a>.

Paris-based <a title="Paris' Grand Maison&amp;Objet Trade Show: Recycled vs. Low-Energy" href="http://www.geraldinegonzalez.com/EN/" target="_blank">Geraldine Gonzales</a> creates floating medusa <a title="Paris' Grand Maison&amp;Objet Trade Show: Recycled vs. Low-Energy" href="http://inhabitat.com/springgreening/tag/medusa-jellyfish-lamp/ " target="_blank">jellyfish</a> lamps that softly glow to create an otherworldly atmosphere.

From furniture to <a title="http://www.ecouterre.com/2012-ethical-fashion-show-paris-to-showcase-sustainability-innovation/" href="http://www.ecouterre.com/2012-ethical-fashion-show-paris-to-showcase-sustainability-innovation/" target="_blank">textiles</a>, from jewelry to home ware, this year's Maison&amp;Objet was an inspiring collection of stuff all under-one roof and waiting to be discovered.

There was so much to see at <a title="Paris' Grand Maison&amp;Objet Trade Show: Recycled vs. Low-Energy" href="http://www.parisdesignweek.fr/en/" target="_blank">Paris Design Week</a>'s <a title="Paris' Grand Maison&amp;Objet Trade Show: Recycled vs. Low-Energy" href="http://www.maison-objet.com/" target="_blank">Maison&amp;Objet</a> that we had to write a second post. Here are some more of our favorite designs, all wrapped up under the theme "Recycled vs. Low-Energy". Take a look at our eco-finds including Dutch <a title="Paris' Grand Maison&amp;Objet Trade Show: Recycled vs. Low-Energy" href="http://www.ayilluminate.com/" target="_blank">Ay Illuminate</a> that sources their natural (waste) materials for making ethereal lamps in places like Asia, Ethiopia and Swaziland combining local handicraft expertise and materials like raffia, sisal, <a title="Paris' Grand Maison&amp;Objet Trade Show: Recycled vs. Low-Energy" href="http://inhabitat.com/wind-powered-bamboo-flow-lights-illuminate-the-colombian-beachside/" target="_blank">bamboo</a> and wood.