AQUON One uses bamboo wall paneling of narrow strips of solid FSC-certified bamboo which are placed on a fleece carrier layer. The caramel shade used on AQUON One is achieved without any chemical stain, by simply steaming the bamboo instead. Each bamboo plant binds large quantities of CO2 before it is harvested. As one of the fastest growing plants, bamboo can be harvested as early as 5 years after planting (compared to at least 80 years for most tropical woods). During harvest, the roots remain in the soil, forming the next young bamboo plants.

Bamboo cultivation is suitable where other forms of agriculture and forestry are not possible due to the terrain. This brings a sustainable source of income to communities which often are disadvantaged by climate change. As a more sustainable alternative to tropical woods, the use of bamboo also reduces deforestation of rainforests. Despite the long transport distance from Asia, a Life Cycle Assessment study by the Technical University of Delft shows that this product is CO2 negative and significantly better than tropical hardwood when considering its entire life cycle: Bamboo meets emission class 1 standards.

Natural cork is decorative and especially well-suited as floor and wall covering in wet areas as it does not absorb moisture. The material is pleasantly warm to the feet, lightweight, easy to care for, and has great sound and heat insulation values.

On-board AQUON One, we use Portuguese cork from sustainable production. The natural cork is placed on a carrier layer of recycled and compressed cork granulate and sealed with a water-based PUR protective layer. Even if the protective layer is damaged, cork naturally does not absorb water.

Cork is the bark of a cork oak, which is first peeled by hand after 25 years. The tree is neither felled nor damaged during harvest. The bark regenerates and can again be harvested in about 9 years. When peeled, the oak tree absorbs more CO2 than unpeeled trees. The cork oak is native to Portugal and the Mediterranean region and provides local jobs. By preserving the stock of cork oaks, this also preserves the natural habitat of endangered species native to these regions.

The production is located in Portugal, raw materials come from the surrounding area. The leftovers from the production of the cork decor layers are processed into granulate, which in turn is used as a carrier layer in the production process. Even the dust produced during grinding is extracted and used on-site to generate heat. The material used is given the best possible emission class in various international test procedures.

The floors on AQUON One are made to 80% of natural materials, over 35% of which are recycled materials that would otherwise have been disposed of.

For instance, the main floor is covered by genuine leather which is recycled from shoe production. Leather is very pleasant and warm to the touch and has great sound and heat insulation values. Due to a protective layer of water-based PUR, it is easy to clean and very insensitive to dirt. The leather fulfills emission class 1 standards, meeting very strict emission values.

Some walls on AQUON One are covered with a fabric made of flax and carbon fibres. The flax fibres are harvested in France and Belgium. They achieve a negative CO2 value over their lifecycle. The carbon fibre is required for strength. However, the blended flax and carbon fibre fabric used on board AQUON One has a 75% lower CO2 footprint than a comparably strong pure carbon fibre fabric.

The furniture on board AQUON One is crafted from large blocks of glued and ecologically-dyed veneer. This technique uses more of the original tree trunk, reducing wood waste. Since the veneer is stained in the factory, there is no need for the usual subsequent staining in the joinery. This minimizes the overall use of stain during production.

Our chosen manufacturer further controls all steps of the FSC-certified wood value chain: from owning sustainably managed plantations with special focus on biodiversity, to running their own sawmills in Italy and overseas with strict labor and safety guidelines to protect employees across all production sites.

Before harvesting, each tree naturally binds large quantities of CO2. The veneer meets the highest emission class 1, which applies strictest emission values.