This innovative idea solves the problem of dealing with fickle changes in fashion and of disposing of furniture in an environmentally friendly way

When May Richards of Duluth, Minnesota, decided to get rid of her aging plastic patio set, she faced the problem of getting rid of yet another passé set. Things were complicated by the fact that she was posted with the army in Dortmund, Germany.

Then one day she came across a new type of furniture set made not of wicker, or cast aluminum, but of vegetables...

The product line was recently introduced by a company based in Bavaria, known for its scenic lakes, mountains and fairy story castles. AF GmbH manufactures dining and seating set kits in many styles and finish colors and a customer who is tired of the set can easily get rid of the old set and replace it with a new one in an entirely environmentally friendly way. "Our first line was the Umwelt collection" explains Ulrich Spaßmacher, president and founder of the company. "It looks and feels exactly like a cast aluminum set except it is made from a vegetable-based compound and some extra ingredients that help bind it to create a strong and durable structure. When you no longer want the set, just dissolve it with our special kit and replace it with another set, at no extra charge."

Customers subscribe to a 3, 5 or even 10 year term and may receive a new set as often as once a year. Each furniture set comes with a Dissolution Kit that contains a canister that attaches to the end of your garden hose. The canister contains an enzyme that causes the furniture to dissolve typically within 10 minutes...the whole process is entirely environmentally friendly, with no unwanted plastic chaises sitting on a landfill. And the fashion-conscious customer can just replace it with a brand new set reflecting this year's designs.

But if it's that easy to get rid of, is there any risk of it dissolving while you're actually sitting on it? The thought of a dining chair beginning its demise while Aunt Agatha is sinking her teeth into a sirloin doesn't bear thinking about. Spaßmacher reassures: "We have carried out thousands of trials on every conceivable substance. It is true that, before we had perfected the formula, we found that applying some types of tea to the compound resulted in degradation...but that is no longer a problem." In other words, if you spilled some Earl Grey while reclining on a fine, summer's day, you were in for a surprise.

Fortunately, those early problems are solved, and are to be expected from such an innovative idea. Sales of furniture subscriptions are already brisk in Germany, France and Belgium. Meanwhile, May Richards is already thinking about her second dining set to replace her current cast aluminum style. She is considering a bamboo style set for next time...

Spaßmacher is planning US distribution for later this year. But then again, you can never trust what's published on April 1.