Kartell made plastic beautiful. Founded outside Milan in 1949 by the chemical engineer Giulio Castelli, it turned industrial plastics into design icons: Anna Castelli Ferrieri's Componibili, Philippe Starck's transparent Louis Ghost chair, Ferruccio Laviani's Bourgie lamp. Every Kartell piece here is an original, authenticated and restored, then delivered in 1 to 5 days. Originals only.
Kartell, Italian Design in Plastic Since 1949
Kartell was founded near Milan in 1949 by Giulio Castelli, a chemical engineer, with his wife, the architect Anna Castelli Ferrieri. Where others saw cheap plastic, Castelli saw a new material for design, and Kartell spent the following decades proving it, turning polymers into some of the most recognisable furniture of the modern age. It won early acclaim with Marco Zanuso and Richard Sapper's stacking child's chair of 1964, and with Joe Colombo's Universale, one of the first adult chairs moulded in plastic.
The icons kept coming. Anna Castelli Ferrieri's round, stackable Componibili arrived in 1967 and is now in the collection of MoMA. From 1999 Philippe Starck gave Kartell the transparent La Marie and then, in 2002, the Louis Ghost, a polycarbonate armchair that has become one of the best-selling and most-copied chairs in the world. Ferruccio Laviani's Bourgie lamp followed in 2004, and the Masters chair in 2010. Kartell works with Patricia Urquiola, Piero Lissoni, Antonio Citterio and Tokujin Yoshioka, and opened its own museum near Milan in 1999.
Kartell is accessible design rather than luxury, which is part of why its classics are so widely owned, and part of why buying pre-owned makes sense: the pieces are durable, discontinued colours become collectible, and the icons never really date. Every Kartell original at REHAUS is authenticated, restored where needed, and delivered in 1 to 5 days. Design doesn't depreciate. The Forever Guarantee and a 30-day home trial mean reduced risk. Browse the originals.
Kartell: frequently asked questions
What is Kartell?
Kartell is an Italian design company founded near Milan in 1949 by Giulio Castelli. It pioneered the use of plastic in furniture and homewares, turning materials like polycarbonate and acrylic into design icons. Kartell is known for pieces such as the Componibili storage unit, Philippe Starck's Louis Ghost chair and Ferruccio Laviani's Bourgie lamp, and works with many of the world's leading designers.
What is the Louis Ghost chair?
The Louis Ghost is a transparent polycarbonate armchair designed by Philippe Starck for Kartell in 2002, a modern take on a Louis XVI chair moulded in a single piece. It became one of the best-selling design chairs in the world, and one of the most copied, which is why buying a genuine Kartell Louis Ghost rather than a lookalike is worth the care.
What is the Componibili?
The Componibili is a round, stackable modular storage unit designed by Anna Castelli Ferrieri for Kartell in 1967. Made of moulded plastic with sliding doors, it is one of Kartell's best-loved designs and sits in the collection of MoMA. It has been made continuously for decades and comes in many colours, some now discontinued and collectible.
Where can I buy pre-owned Kartell in the UK?
REHAUS sells authenticated, original Kartell in the UK. Every piece is checked against the real thing, restored where needed, and delivered nationwide in 1 to 5 days, with the Forever Guarantee and a 30-day home trial. Because Kartell's icons are so widely copied, that authentication matters, and stock changes often, since each piece is one of one.
Who designs for Kartell?
Kartell has worked with many of the great names in design. Its icons include Anna Castelli Ferrieri's Componibili, Joe Colombo's Universale, Philippe Starck's Louis Ghost and Masters, and Ferruccio Laviani's Bourgie lamp, and it also collaborates with Patricia Urquiola, Piero Lissoni, Antonio Citterio and Tokujin Yoshioka. Genuine pieces are credited to a named designer.
Is Kartell a luxury brand?
Not exactly. Kartell is iconic, design-led and widely collected, but it is positioned as accessible design rather than ultra-luxury, which is part of its appeal. Its pieces are made from durable, high-quality plastics and hold up well, so a well-kept Kartell original, especially in a discontinued colour, is very much worth buying pre-owned.
How is Kartell delivered, and can I return it?
Each piece is delivered in 1 to 5 days, with white-glove delivery complimentary on qualifying orders. Every order comes with a 30-day home trial, so you can live with it before committing. If it is not right, returns are straightforward. Because each piece is one of one, it is only truly yours once it has shipped.
Why buy Kartell from REHAUS?
REHAUS sells originals only, never the copies the Louis Ghost and Componibili attract. Every Kartell piece is authenticated, restored to a high standard and delivered fast across the UK, with the Forever Guarantee and a 30-day home trial. You get the genuine Italian design, with its Kartell markings intact, rather than a lookalike.
