At Bocci, we strive to create objects that become companions in people’s lives. We believe that an object contributes in the most meaningful way to the sustainability discussion if it is, quite simply, never thrown away. If we are able to make objects that suggest the possibility of a commitment to living an entire lifetime alongside them, then the selection of one object over another becomes important and meaningful – and therefore, investment in the quality, value, beauty and worth of the objects that surround us becomes paramount.

In pre-industrialized western societies the average individual owned less that 100 objects throughout their lifetime. A lifetime with only 100 discreet objects is a life in which each object is likely practical, beautiful, particular, inherited, and well made. These objects are undoubtedly precious to their owners; each possessing a tremendous emotional depository of memories. In contrast, today’s consumer society is characterized by what could be described as an unhealthy relationship between the subject (us) and object (the things that surround us). At Bocci we strive to make wonderful objects that suggest the possibility of a lifelong commitment to and by their owners.

Of course, the objects designed at Bocci also take into account conventional sustainability principles. The 14 series cast glass chandelier is made of recycled glass, for example, and our packaging is, of course, recycled and recyclable. Our LED lamps use a unique replacement design, which is unlike typical embedded LED fixtures as it eliminates the waste associated with catastrophic failures that, in conventional applications, requires the replacement of the entire fixture. When it comes time to re-lamp with the 24.2, the LED heads may simply be replaced, as with conventional lamps. The 24.2 keeps the fixture out of future landfills, protects your investment and introduces a significant saving of energy.

With that in mind, we hope that our greater contribution is in the conceptual model discussed above. If we are able to define (or at least suggest an alternative to) what we see as a fundamentally unhealthy relationship between people and objects, we hope to contribute to the growth of a responsible and committed materialism, which we see as a more evolved and humane alternative to current consumptive trends.