Pancake Slag in Cast Iron Wins Formex Sustainability Award

Swedish company Lursta Cast Iron is the winner of the Formex Sustainability Award 2024. The company get the prize for its well-designed, locally influenced, and long-lasting pancake griddle made from recycled scrap.

The Formex Sustainability Award is in its second year, and similar to the previous edition, companies applied with their products. The Formex sustainability jury then nominated a total of seven entries that are also exhibited at the fair. This year's winner is the Swedish Lursta Cast Iron with a classic product in a modern interpretation – the pancake slag "Arvet."

The jury's motivation reads:

Exceptional craftsmanship and a consistent focus on sustainability characterize this newcomer. Both the pancake griddle and its little sister, the portion mortar, are made from locally sourced recycled scrap and waste from the neighboring factory. The casting process involves recycled sand, and the cast iron is treated with rapeseed oil from fields just a stone's throw away. A gold star for communication, conveying that the products can be melted down and transformed into something else – but above all, they are a loan from future generations.

The winner of the Formex Sustainability Award 2024 is Lursta Cast Iron!

John Andersson, co-founder and design director at Lursta Cast Iron, received the unique recycled glass prize statue designed by Marie-Louise Hellgren during the Formex press breakfast.

- Receiving this award feels incredibly significant and important for us at Lursta, a confirmation that our work on sustainability and efforts to minimize our environmental impact are being noticed and recognized. The award gives us motivation and energy to continue finding new solutions to constantly improve and contribute to a more sustainable production," says John Andersson.

The choice to create a pancake griddle reflects both tradition and an interest in food. The griddle is an iconic part of Swedish culinary culture, associated with positive memories for many. The "Arvet" pancake griddle was created to celebrate Swedish food culture and recreate the feeling of cooking and eating pancakes together with family and friends.

- We wanted to create a tool for acts of reassurance that extend beyond any of its users. Therefore, we chose to make it clear in the packaging that the pan is not yours. You are just borrowing it for a moment from the next generation," says John Andersson.

The "Arvet" pancake griddle is manufactured in the company's own foundry in Lyrestad, in Sweden, from locally recycled scrap, production leftovers, and waste from the neighboring factory. It is cast in sand molds where 95 percent of the sand is recycled, and the griddle is then treated with rapeseed oil from rapeseed harvested a stone's throw away from the foundry. The griddle is slightly smaller than the standard size to reduce potential food waste and is designed to last for generations, yet it is entirely circular – it can be melted down and reshaped into a new product.

"In addition to the fantastic design and user-friendliness of the winning product itself, the packaging and message are extraordinary. Through its craftsmanship and storytelling, Lursta conveys how important it is to be humble towards our history and tomorrow. Everything is just on loan, for a short while," says Sonja Björk Ebert, project manager at Formex.

The Formex Sustainability Award was established in the fall of 2022 to highlight good examples in the industry and promote sustainable development. It has been awarded annually since 2023 in conjunction with the Formex spring fair. This year's jury included designers Marie-Louise Hellgren and Emma Olbers, Björn Florman from the Material Library, and Maria Soxbo, journalist and co-founder of the Climate Club.

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Press contact
Ronja Nyström, Press & PR Specialist, Stockholmsmässan, 070-774 21 41, ronja.nystrom@stockholmsmassan.se.