Winch Design and Cantiere delle Marche unveil 44m explorer yacht with an entirely sustainable interior

Winch Design is delighted to announce its partnership with Cantiere delle Marche, the esteemed Italian shipyard on a 44m Flexplorer 146. Third in the series, the eagerly anticipated explorer yacht is due to launch in 2025 and the Winch Design interior will showcase a remarkable fusion of environmental responsibility and cutting-edge design.

Driven by the Owner and his young family’s deep commitment to nature and sustainability, the interior will be crafted largely from eco-friendly materials. The family plan to spend a large amount of time on the yacht and have a real interest in healthy, sustainable living. Winch Design's relentless pursuit of sustainable luxury is pushing the boundaries to deliver an eco-friendly masterpiece. Using only natural, non-toxic, or eco-friendly materials, the interior will embody the natural world, favouring practices that create low levels of EMF and materials with low VOCs to deliver a clean-living environment. Earthy colours, matte surfaces and organic textures will be used throughout, keeping mother nature at the heart of the design.

The eco-friendly interior will feature a number of innovative, ‘green’ materials including reclaimed seashell composite, eggshell finishes, Foresso, recycled fishing nets, woven grass and Thames wood. Mafi flooring will be used throughout the yacht, produced by an Austrian company that specialises in the production of high-quality and completely ecological natural wooden floors, free from any VOCs.

The incorporation of eggshell textured walls into the interior imparts a sophisticated and organic aesthetic. 250,000 tonnes of eggshell waste are produced annually worldwide as a bi-product of the food industry and can be cleverly repurposed through a roasting and colouring process to create a variety of patterns, colours and textures. In addition, carpets made from recycled fishing nets provide a soft and plush flooring solution while contributing to the reduction of waste in our oceans. Woven grass is another material that can be seen in a number of applications including ceiling domes.

One of the standout features will be the green living wall made from preserved moss, connecting the interior with nature and providing a focal point on the staircase. Reclaimed seashell composite will be used throughout the bathrooms, which beautifully emulates the ocean's iridescence and offers a second life to discarded seashells. Rustic charm will be brought to the interior through the use of recycled wood chip on a number of furniture applications, recycling offcut timber and wood dust from local sawmills and building sites to create an organic patterned surface. Palm leather, chosen for its durability and an eco-conscious alternative to animal leather, will also be applied on several furnishings.

The yacht’s engineering also places a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability. Notably it incorporates a selective catalytic reduction system in compliance with IMO emission standards TIER III enabling navigation in marine protected areas and sanctuaries such as the Galapagos. The interior out-fitting contractor has also been carefully selected based on its carbon-neutral business model.

Winch Design and Cantiere delle Marche are working closely with the client throughout this remarkable collaboration, challenging conventional norms and pioneering eco-conscious design. The interior will mark a new standard for sustainability and the production, carbon footprint and appearance of all materials has been meticulously monitored by the in-house Winch Design Sustainability Specialist working alongside experts EcoNest to achieve global standards for a healthier living environment. All materials have been carefully chosen, and analysis undertaken on their specific set of data related to different criteria to identify their impact on the environment.

The Flexplorer 146 project marks a pivotal moment for Winch Design to bring together years of research in sustainable alternatives to fruition and highlights the company’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, instilled into the business by founder Andrew Winch throughout the studio’s many years at the vanguard of the industry.