Benjamin Hubert's design studio Layer has launched a new furniture collection for Moroso, which introduces a new way of bonding upholstery textiles together.

The project and collection, called Tape, consists of a modular sofa and table that have both been fixed together using a heat-sealing tape.

The tape, made of polyurethane rubber, is used to bond smaller pieces of textile together that, according to Hubert, would otherwise be discarded in the upholstery process and treated as waste.

Layer's new technique was inspired by the tape traditionally used to waterproof and protect the seams in sporting goods, such as skiing and snowboarding jackets and wet-weather gear.

"We saw an opportunity to create an upholstered product that is completely waterproof so it can be used for outdoor use whilst protecting the seams from wear and tear – so the product would last longer too," said Hubert.

"It's a bit like athleisure for furniture," the designer told Dezeen.

Layer teamed up with a technical garment manufacturer – whose name remains a secret – to develop the tape technology for use in furniture products.

Now applied to textiles, the polyurethane tape is applied with heat and pressure to the seams of upholstery, using advanced heat-bonding machinery, in order to fix the different elements together.

"At Layer we are always looking at fashion and technology trends in parallel industries. The Tape collection for Moroso is inspired by the technical and aesthetic properties of snowboard jackets, a technique we find fascinating," said the brand.

"This method of bonding allowed us to highlight how you can use smaller pieces of waste textile to create more sustainable upholstered furniture," it added.

Described by the brand as a "series of  modernist building blocks" the Tape sofa is the first modular sofa designed by Layer, and can be combined in multiple combinations to suit different interior spaces and styles.

Each modular block – seat, backrest or arms – is divided into smaller textile panels that are bonded together using the heat-sealed tape. Pockets are then connected to the arm modules using the tape, and can be used to store papers, magazines or remote controls.

The Tape table is constructed from a steel tubular frame, and features a perforated steel table top. Underneath the table top hangs a "hammock-like" textile shelf, made using a piece of textile that has been bonded with the polyurethane tape.

Here, magazines, newspapers, remotes and any other small items can be stored, and the textile panel can be easily interchanged to vary the colour and material combinations. The table is available in both coffee table and side table sizes.

An array of fabrics from Danish textile company Kvadrat were used to upholster the modular sofa, and to form the hammock-like shelf under the Tape table.

After 12 months of development, the Tape project has come together as the eighth collaboration between Hubert and Italian design brand Moroso.

The new collection was unveiled at Milan's Salone del Mobile furniture fair this year, which took place from 17 to 22 April 2018.  The annual festival also saw Layer create a pebble-shaped timber basket for Fritz Hansen using the brand's steam-bending techniques.