In 2019, we were both in the middle of renovating our own homes. Standing five metres above the ground on a scaffold, we started talking about what our future interiors should look like. One thing was clear: extraordinary design, outstanding functionality and genuine sustainability had to come together.

We had the right backgrounds to make it happen. Wolfgang brought years of hands-on experience in high-end furniture making, while Arno contributed his expertise in environmental engineering and plastics technology.

One question kept coming back to us: Why is plastic so often seen as a problem when it can actually be such a valuable resource?

Recycled plastic seemed like the perfect starting point. Strong, waterproof, durable and incredibly versatile. What was missing was a material that combined all these properties with exceptional design – available in large-format panels for furniture making and interior design.

The inspiration finally came from an unexpected place: the dial of Arno’s watch. Wolfgang took one look and said, “That’s exactly what it should look like. Just much bigger!”

So we climbed down from the scaffold and headed straight to Wolfgang’s kitchen. We chopped up plastic bottles and bottle caps, put everything in the oven at around 200°C and baked it like a cake. We then pressed the bubbling mixture together with a screw clamp to create our very first panel.

Admittedly, we were still a long way from a market-ready product. And Wolfgang’s wife wasn’t exactly thrilled about our experiment in her kitchen.

But for the first time, our idea had taken shape.

That first panel still hangs in our office today. A reminder of where it all began – and of our belief that something truly valuable can be created from what others consider waste.

That was the beginning of TRASTIC.