Unique & Sustainable Pendant Lighting Design

The rebirth of Cloud is almost as interesting as the product’s origin story. While out to sea with his family many years ago, Trubridge noticed a fascinating environmental occurrence; clouds of water vapor appearing directly over islands. Years later, these memories led to the development of the cloud-shaped lights originally made from thin frosted plastic skins set over handmade island shaped seats. Dubbed “Cloud,” those early designs proved immensely popular and became a key offering in the company’s new array of lighting.

While Cloud remained popular for years after its initial introduction, there was one problem with the product – the use of a thin plastic skin. While plastic was once an ideal material providing a much sought after glow and translucence, Trubridge felt he could no longer sell the products in good conscious.

“For a product conceived from the ocean, the idea of using plastics in products was in direct violation of my ethical standards and focus on sustainable materials and design practices,” said Trubridge. “Unfortunately, a bioplastic or resin replacement was not a good alternative due to cost and material properties. We pulled the product from the market and searched for ways to make it more environmentally friendly.”

In late 2019, lead studio designer Marion Courtille came up with the idea to recreate the iconic cloud forms with a thin bamboo plywood. While the process seemed impossible at first, she eventually had a breakthrough. As a result, the new Clouds are voluminous yet airy, enclosed yet see-through. Slits created by the construction process act as repetitive apertures allowing light to escape and the form to breathe. They also expose beautiful color finishes, a design aesthetic that was previously impossible due to the product’s enclosed plastic skin.

There are two shapes in the collection, Large and Small, and each is made from bamboo plywood. Both sizes are available in the full David Trubridge color range, including Red, Pink, Aqua, Lime, White, Black, Orange, Blue, Natural and Caramel.

See David’s work for yourself in our Gallery and Design Inspiration pages.