The innovative new company, Graypants, was founded in 2008 by Seth Grizzle and Jonathan Junker who met at architecture school. This design company has a branch in Seattle, USA, and one in Amsterdam, and initiates projects that are respectful of both human beings and the environment. It demonstrates responsible design. Disabled people work for the company, and Graypants Scraplights are made of salvaged cardboard boxes that are cut with lasers and glued by hand with non-toxic adhesives. The Scraplights are mainly round, bell-like or drum-shaped suspensions to which the corrugated cardboard give the unique appearance of lighting sculptures from a seemingly mysterious, but warm, material. Moreover, because they have been cut with lasers, these light fixtures give off a surprising campfire smell that creates the illusion of nature, although they can only be installed indoors.
Besides the Scraplights light fixtures, Graypants also offers lights and pieces of furniture made of unconventional or traditional materials like wood or cardboard. Furthermore, the company is involved in architectural projects and more. As a result of the renovation of Garage, a post WWII cabin, Graypants was awarded the 2013 Seattle Honor AIA Award, the 2014 Residential Architecture Design Award and the 2014 Copper in Architecture Award. However, the project that best exemplifies the significant ecological commitment of Graypants is undoubtedly Balena, a smart floating device that collects and recycles plastic garbage polluting the oceans. Balena melts the plastic and processes it into plastic balloons. Because they are filled with hydrogen, they fly and then float ashore to be disposed of. Each ballon bears the mark "Globall".
It seems that Graypants' motto "Dream Scribble Make" is the key answer to one of the biggest challenges of our time.