Lifestyle

Anti Lamps Review

I was recently sent an Anti Lamp made from Upcycled Umbrellas which were handcrafted by British designer Mark Howells. We love sustainability here at Onin.London so loved the ethos behind Anti Lamps.

We were told some facts that made us think.

1. One billion umbrellas are broken, lost, discarded each year (worldwide).

2. The nylon canopies may take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade.

3. Umbrellas are not designed to last with an average lifespan of 6 months. Probably less with the windy English weather.

4. The metal, if you assume a mass of 240 grams per umbrella, would total 240,000 tons of metal waste per year. That’s the equivalent amount of metal to build four Sydney Harbour Bridge’s.

5. Umbrellas are made from plastics, metals and nylon. They are difficult to dissemble into their constituent materials and therefore rarely recycled.

So Anti takes discarded, lost and broken umbrellas and transforms them into desirable products. The  designs are built to last years (instead of months as originally intended for the umbrella design).

Anti is serious about sustainability, and each lamp is delivered in recyclable packaging and powered by an energy-efficient G4 LED bulb. Anti also runs a ‘take back’ scheme where the lamps can be returned at the end of their life to be made into something new.

How great is all this?! If you’re like me and have left an umbrella on a tube and wondered where it’s ended up… the likelihood is probably here. In 2016, a study showed that there was over 34,000 lost on the London Underground, so it’s great a designer has taken these and given them new life.

The lamp we were sent looks great and fits perfectly in our living room. It really helped turn it into a cosy reading nook. My housemate and I also enjoyed the fact that the design reminds us of the Pixar lamp so it also sung to our Disney loving hearts.

Anti’s desk and table lamps start from £180 and are available to buy here in black and white.

Written by Tegan LeBon