3form Flek Pure Is a 100% Recycled Material That Remains Translucent

Just because a product exists doesn’t mean you should stop trying to improve upon it. Such is the case with 3form’s Flek Pure, a 100 percent recycled material primarily sourced from 3form’s own in-house waste. Flek originally made its debut in 2019 using roughly 75 percent recycled material. Now, Flek Pure achieves 3form’s long-term goal of maximizing the amount of repurposed material used while also maintaining its translucency, unlike most recycled products on the market.

“The most exciting part of the design process was our motivation to keep innovating,” says 3form’s product development team, who spent the better part of a decade bringing Flek Pure to life. “We didn’t stop when the Flek Collection first launched because we knew we wouldn’t be satisfied until we reached 100 percent recycled material. This was a challenging, extensive process, but the result is so rewarding.”

During the manufacturing process of Flek Pure panels, internally sourced edge trimmings, returned samples, and reclaimed materials of 3form’s signature Varia resin are upcycled. These remnants are encapsulated and the pellets are carefully sorted by 3form’s optical sorter for clarity and cleanliness. The final product is a texturized, terrazzo-like material that’s sustainable and durable, as well as full of depth that allows for beautiful shadow play.

After Flek’s introduction in 2019, 3form wanted to upgrade the production process of the panels to further reflect the sustainable end product. The product development team sourced new materials and updated the supply chain, increasing Flek’s recycled content from 71 percent to 100 percent for Flek Pure applications.

From process to product, these sustainability achievements are a culmination of 3form’s nearly 20-year commitment to Align, a program of earth- and people-centric initiatives focused on three main pillars: people, product, and planet. Align effectively re-doubles 3form’s efforts to pursue environmentally and socially responsible design. Extending to all members of the 3form family, they strive to develop materials with intentionality that will empower architects, designers, and consumers to make smart choices about how they buy and build. By creating a closed-loop product, like Flek Pure, 3form raises their internal standard for future products and contributes to the restoration of our planet and the betterment of human lives. Align is the next step toward net-positive manufacturing within all 3form companies.

As architects and designers strive for higher sustainability standards in the materials they use, Flek Pure delivers closed-loop solutions to privacy partitions, room dividers, accent pieces, exterior walls, and more. Professionals can also contribute to 3form’s waste reduction. When designers order any of 3form’s Varia materials or return product samples to 3form’s Salt Lake City headquarters (using prepaid shipping labels), the materials are pelletized to be used for Flek.

Flek is part of 3form’s Varia product platform, which carries a Greenguard Gold Certification, is Declare Red List Free, and has an Optimized Environmental Product Declaration label. Flek is available in 4’x8’ and 4’x10’ panels, with 1/4″, 3/8″, and 1/2″ gauges, and a two-week lead time.

Flek Pure is a clear colorway made using 100 percent recycled content. The material’s translucent appearance offers the best of both worlds, allowing for natural light while maintaining separation and a level of privacy. Color can be added with Flek Bask (peachy gold), Flek Crescent (neutral taupe), and Flek Charge (electric yellow), as well as nine other colorways.

To learn more about the benefits and capabilities of Flek Pure or to order a free sample, visit 3form.com.

3form’s 2023 Color Collection Nails Down Hard-to-Find Hues

Color is a very subjective quality in the eye of the beholder but leading materials manufacturer 3form continues to prove that it has its finger on the pulse when it comes to creating and curating colors that the design community is looking for. For its 2023 Color Collection, the brand is adding 10 new pastel hues to its permanent color system, offering new ways to brighten up commercial environments. “Color is at the core of what we do, and this collection allowed us to be more introspective about the meaning of color in our lives,” shares Ryan Smith, 3form’s Chief Creative Officer.

The new collection is inspired by the four seasons and the emotions they evoke, like the blues of a winter day and the purple tones found in spring. To begin the process of expanding its color system, the design team at 3form first laid out swatches of current colors in order to identify missing colors. They noticed an opportunity to introduce soft, subtle versions of their saturated tones and, in the end, settled on 10 new hues: Lavish, Graceland, Alta, Smolder, Honeycomb, Rhubarb, Talc, Cedarwood, Adobe, and Comet.

The colors can be applied to 3form’s Varia, Chroma, and Glass platforms that can be constructed into partitions, wall accents, reception desk wraps, ceiling features, and more for public spaces like offices, hotels, schools, hospitals, and wellness centers. The translucency of 3form’s materials brings the colors to life, especially when natural light, which gradually changes throughout the day, diffuses through.

For more information on 3form’s 2023 Color Collection, head to 3-form.com.