French firm unveils wood downlight
French luminaire manufacturer Kraken Lighting has become the latest brand to unveil a downlight with a part-wooden structure.
The K’Dow 7 has an aluminium body but features a bezel in solid oak or ash plywood sourced from eco-managed forests.
The company says the wood is non-flammable and passes the 850C glow wire test.
It’s available with either a Gu10 socket or an LED module in a choice of colour temperatures (2700K, 3000K or 4000K) and three beam angles (12, 24 or 36 degrees). Control is via a dimmable Dali or Casambi Bluetooth driver.
Last month, Slovakian firm Setup Lighting introduced a hardwood downlight.
Kraken Lighting, based near Nantes, uses reclaimed windows and doors to make light fittings such as 600×600 modular ceilings panels.
The founders say the business is based on their ecological, social and societal convictions, but there is a commercial motive as the use of reused wood is a rare differentiator in a crowded commercial lighting market.
Kraken co-founder Nicolas Forget says the company designs its products so that they are repairable and can be partially or fully assembled by disabled workers.
The company originally used regular timber but were encouraged by the French waste agency, ADEME, to develop the products based on waste wood that would otherwise be buried or incinerated.
‘In our creative process, we always keep in mind the consistency, aesthetics and lighting quality of our products,’ says Forget, ‘but we take care to simplify and optimise our manufacturing.
‘Our lights can be assembled by anyone, and an easy-to-assemble product is also an easy-to-repair product.’
Forget describes the process as a ‘cradle to cradle’ approach. The luminaires are not exported from France as Forget says this would be contrary to company’s philosophy. Instead it hopes to partner with local firms who can use local wood species. ‘This isn’t a difficult industry to replicate,’ Forget told the Circular Lighting Report, ‘and it would be in line with our approach.’
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