What if the future of practise in design wasn’t just about innovation in producing and relying on newer materials, but also—equally, if not more so—about giving new life to what was discarded? This question lies at the heart of the WASTED Collection 001, a collaboration between Bali-based creative village Potato Head and British designer Max Lamb. This collection goes beyond homeware by demonstrating how circular design stands to transform both, the objects we use and our perception of waste, positioning it not as an end but a beginning, redefining it as "a material of the future".

Rooted in Potato Head’s philosophy of ‘Good Times, Do Good’, the WASTED initiative stems from years of experimentation with discarded materials and their potential to be reimagined into useful objects. The launch of Collection 001 is a culmination of a five-year collaboration between Lamb and local Indonesian artisans—a meticulous journey of experimental, process-driven design meshed with the region's craft traditions. The resultant family of objects—furniture designs, ceramic objects, accessories and textiles—is presented as a design model that is both culturally grounded and environmentally regenerative. “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,” says Lamb in an official statement.

“From landfill to living space, each object is crafted to inspire a regenerative way of living. WASTED is where functionality meets intention,” Potato Head explains.

Materials are both the origins and the essence of design for the British furniture designer. His expansive oeuvre embodies a hands-on, experimental approach that champions the use of what is immediately available, whether it is cardboard waste, local stone or industrial offcuts. With WASTED, the philosophy found a match in Potato Head’s mission to divert waste from landfills, building new systems for conscious living and creative reuse. “It was part of my mantra, my manifesto for the project, that I didn’t want to import anything,” Lamb states. “I aimed to ensure that everything could be produced within a 50-mile radius”. This decision anchored the collection, ensuring that each object reflects both the island’s waste streams and its craft heritage.

The collection encompasses eight distinct material families, each harnessing a specific waste stream. Plastic discards and bottle caps are used to create chair designs, mirrors and tableware. Old hotel linens become resources for rug designs, napkins and bags, which are then dyed with natural pigments of marigold and indigo. In the Broken Glass family, shattered bottles and construction glass are turned into mouth-blown tableware, while used cooking oil morphs into refillable candles in the Cooking Oil family.

Local clay and shards of broken ceramics are utilised to craft the richly textured plates and bowls in the collection. A blend of oyster shells, styrofoam and residue is transformed into a troupe of lightweight trays and vessels in the Styroshell family. One of Bali’s most renewable materials, bamboo, appears in the ensemble as durable and expressive lounge seating. No two pieces are identical, and nothing is mass-produced, making each object one of a kind.

Collaboration with the local community is what ties together the diverse work in the WASTED Collection 001. The product designs are all handmade in Bali, Indonesia, fuelled by contributions from artisans who specialise in traditional skills such as weaving, glassblowing or dyeing. For Lamb, who envisioned the project as a celebration of the human hands and know-how beyond material experimentation, this synergy was essential. The project’s methodology makes it a blueprint for circular design that can be replicated anywhere, connecting global designers with local resources and craftspeople.

At Potato Head, the WASTED objects become part of everyday life. Guests may encounter the pieces in hotel rooms, restaurants and community spaces, where they interact with the chairs, walk across the rugs and use the glassware at their tables. The collection makes a design statement but also enhances experience in a setting where sustainability and hospitality design converge. Potato Head extends this engagement through workshops, cultural programmes and residencies that platform Indonesia’s creative scene. WASTED partakes in this crusade of conversation and education around circular design systems and their impact on culture and community.

The WASTED Collection 001 is able to offer a radical alternative in an age defined by overconsumption and material excess. Responsibility, resilience and respect for resources are positioned above transient styles or trends in the larger design landscape. As Lamb’s material-led philosophy collaborates with Potato Head’s regenerative ethos, the collection foregrounds creativity and intention that can remodel what is discarded into something cherished and utilised. From Bali to the world, WASTED is both a collection and a quasi-manifesto—echoing Potato Head’s belief that good times and good design should leave a positive mark.