Design, 2001, Issue 5, produced by the Design Centre
When James Dyson interviewed a young man in 1994 he had no idea he was going to be the catalyst for a successful designer. The young man in question was Andrew Mitchell, and when Dyson didn’t give him a job, he embarked on a career which is just as unique as the world’s first bagless vacuum cleaner.
Andrew Mitchell is now the owner of Avad; a Sheffield based company that design and manufacture contemporary furniture using a new and refreshing ethos. Their range of wooden furniture is designed around the concept of sustainability and environmental awareness. Add to this the new and fresh designs which fit in and relate to lifestyles today and you get a product that is friendly and beneficial to everyone. The timber used by Avad is either reclaimed or from sustainable resources. They further reinforce this standing by virtually eliminating the use of glue, nails or screws in production. This enables the wood to be easily reclaimed at a later date or to quite happily bio-degrade: it is thought this concept is unique to Avad.
