Furniture design has become increasingly focused on mass production and disposable aesthetics, but some designers are pushing back against this trend with thoughtful, sustainable alternatives. Caroline Chao, an architect turned object designer, represents this movement toward more meaningful, personal furniture that tells a story about materials, function, and our relationship with everyday objects. Her Roll-up Chair for G-STAR RAW challenges traditional furniture conventions while exploring the untapped potential of reclaimed denim.
Chao’s journey from designing skyscrapers to crafting intimate furniture pieces reflects a broader shift in design thinking toward human-scale objects that invite personal connection. Trained at Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania, she brings architectural rigor to smaller projects, finding meaning in the space between soaring structures and intimate interiors. Her work explores how objects can challenge perspective and provoke thought, whether through literal reflection using mirrors or figurative contemplation through reimagined furniture forms.
Designer: Caroline Chao
The inspiration for the Roll-up Chair came from reading about objects designed to be disassembled and reassembled, particularly camp and military furniture that prioritizes portability and function over aesthetics. Chao saw a fascinating parallel between these utilitarian objects and denim itself, which evolved from pure workwear into a fashion statement while retaining its functional DNA. She wondered whether overlooked camp furniture could be reimagined as art, creating something that provokes conversation about what furniture could be in our increasingly mobile, space-conscious world.
The chair’s construction reflects this philosophy through its innovative use of materials and modular design approach that prioritizes sustainability and adaptability. The seat and backrest consist of padded rolls made from deadstock G-STAR denim, creating a tactile, comfortable surface that references both sleeping mats and the aging qualities of raw denim. Silver snap buttons borrowed directly from jeans secure the cushions, reinforcing the connection between garment construction and furniture assembly while adding functional hardware that feels authentic to the material’s heritage.
The structural frame uses steel components typically found in handrail systems or electrical conduit, sourced from industrial suppliers who normally work with electricians and contractors rather than furniture designers. This choice exemplifies Chao’s interest in finding unexpected applications for existing materials, reducing waste while creating something entirely new. The entire chair can be fully disassembled and hung on a wall like a garment, transforming from functional furniture into sculptural art depending on your needs and space constraints.
Despite its conceptual nature, the Roll-up Chair maintains genuine functionality through careful attention to ergonomic principles and user comfort. Chao emphasizes that as long as seat and backrest proportions support the body where needed, the fundamental requirements for comfortable seating are met. While not designed for eight-hour workdays, the chair provides surprising comfort for shorter periods, with many users noting how the padded denim rolls feel more supportive than their sculptural appearance suggests.
The sustainability aspect extends beyond just material reuse, touching on the broader implications of modular, disassemblable furniture for urban living. In cities like New York, where space is precious and people move frequently, furniture that can be easily taken apart, stored, and reassembled offers genuine practical value. The chair’s ability to transform from functional seating to wall-hung art makes it particularly relevant for small spaces where every object needs to serve multiple purposes.
The Roll-up Chair embodies a new approach to furniture that values material history, environmental responsibility, and conceptual depth alongside basic function. Chao’s use of deadstock denim and industrial components creates an object with embedded stories and traces of its past, while the modular design addresses contemporary needs for flexibility and space efficiency. This kind of thoughtful, sustainable design thinking represents exactly the direction furniture needs to move as we reconsider our relationship with objects, materials, and the spaces we inhabit.
The post Caroline Chao’s Roll-up Chair Turns G-STAR Reclaimed Denim Into Modular Furniture first appeared on Yanko Design.