WASTED by Potato Head has unveiled its debut homeware range, Collection 001, developed in close collaboration with acclaimed British designer Max Lamb. Launching exclusively online this August and in select stores, the collection transforms discarded materials into functional and poetic design objects.
Representing a bold redefinition of waste as a resource, WASTED is rooted in Potato Head’s guiding philosophy, “Good Times, Do Good”, which promotes a lifestyle that harmonises environmental responsibility with cultural creativity. Born from years of research and experimentation at Desa Potato Head in Bali, Collection 001 reflects a circular design ethos, where waste is minimised and reconstituted in stunning form.
“Designers have a responsibility to justify every product we bring into the world. With WASTED, we’re not just rethinking materials; we’re celebrating the human hands and knowledge that shape them.” – Max Lamb.
The launch comes on the heels of Potato Head’s significant environmental strides, including achieving 99.5% landfill diversion and initiating the Community Waste Project, which expands waste recovery and reuse across Bali. WASTED marks a new chapter in the brand’s ongoing efforts to turn sustainability into a lived, tangible experience through design.
Turning Waste Into Good
Max Lamb.
The result of a five-year collaboration between Max Lamb and the Potato Head team, the collection comprises eight distinct material families, each sourced from a local waste stream. These include:
Recycled HDPE plastics
Natural dyes from composted organic matter
Retired hotel linens
Broken glass repurposed via mouth-blown techniques
Used cooking oil transformed into refillable candles
Salvaged ceramics reformed by hand
Composite waste such as Styrofoam and oyster shells
Sustainably harvested, hand-woven Balinese bamboo
Handmade in Bali by local artisans, every object in the collection reflects a fusion of Lamb’s experimental, process-driven aesthetic with Indonesia’s rich craft traditions. From marbled plastic chairs and glazed ceramics to indigo-dyed linens and bamboo lounge seating, the pieces reveal the raw, tactile beauty of the materials they came from.
Crucially, no two pieces are alike, which is a direct result of the dynamic, place-based design process. This approach enables scalability while remaining responsive to the materials available in a given region, opening the door for global adaptation through local partnerships.
“Designers have a responsibility to justify every product we bring into the world,” says Lamb. “With WASTED, we’re not just rethinking materials; we’re celebrating the human hands and knowledge that shape them.”
Collection 001 stands as more than a homeware launch. It is a manifesto for a new design future, one where objects are not simply made, but meaningfully remade. Through its blend of global vision and rooted, local execution, WASTED by Potato Head offers a blueprint for regenerative living.
(Images: Potato Head)
