TELLUS bench given to the Swedish King as a commemorative gift

18.09.2023

The county of Värmland in Sweden is celebrating King Carl XVI Gustaf’s 50 years on the throne with a commemorative gift: a Vestre TELLUS bench made from 100 % fossil-free steel.

Earlier this year, we launched the TELLUS bench - the world’s first piece of furniture made entirely from SSAB’s new and revolutionary fossil-free steel. The people of Värmland are now set to be the first to sit down on a TELLUS, as Värmland presented its population with the bench as a commemorative gift marking King Carl XVI Gustaf's visit to Karlstad on 7 September, in celebration of 50 years on the throne. The bench will be placed next to the entrance to Residensparken in the center of Karlstad.⁠ This area is the historical core of Karlstad, and the statue of Karlstad's founder and the Residence are both nearby. It's a very beautiful and frequently photographed place that is popular among both residents and visitors alike.

The bench was designed by award-winning Swedish designer Emma Olbers, who has long been involved with sustainability issues in the design industry. The bench was given the name TELLUS because it was designed "with Tellus in mind", in accordance with our planetary boundaries.

TELLUS is a timeless and inviting bench that encourages people to sit down and take a break, enjoy a cup of coffee or engage in good conversation. Its design makes it equally suitable for both parks and more urban settings.

“Vestre has had a manufacturing facility in Värmland for over twenty years now. So, it's especially exciting for us that it's here in particular that the world's first examples of TELLUS will be used for the first time. We hope that the bench becomes a social gathering point for the population where good conversations and ideas can be exchanged, and that it becomes a source of inspiration for the various uses of fossil-free steel. There are so many possibilities,” says Bjørn Fjellstad, CEO of Vestre.⁠

"It feels good to give the King a commemorative gift that signals the future, innovation and sustainability, as well as being something that both residents and visitors can enjoy when they visit the beautiful and historic area near Residensparken in Karlstad," says Linda Larsson, Chair of the Municipal Executive Board in Karlstad Municipality.