Designing for regeneration: the furniture of tomorrow

Photo Courtesy of Compostboard

“Regenerating natural systems" is the most ambitious principle of the circular economy. 

Imagine a dense forest where every leaf, branch, and fallen fruit plays its part in a harmonious cycle. When leaves drop, they don’t pile up as waste. Instead, they enrich the soil, feeding the trees that provide shade and oxygen. This natural cycle of giving back is the ultimate example of regeneration - leaving the forest richer, stronger, and more vibrant. And creating no waste.

This story of the forest mirrors the vision behind the circular economy. In our first two articles in this 3-part series, we explored how two principles - “Designing out waste and pollution” and “Keeping materials and products in use” - help us tackle overconsumption and unsustainable production. These two principles aim to reduce harm and preserve our biosphere’s delicate balance.  

But nature doesn’t stop at preservation; it thrives on regeneration, which goes well beyond harm reduction. Regeneration seeks to restore ecosystems, enrich communities, and create a world in which life is not only sustained but nurtured.

Learning from Nature: Understanding the circular economy’s 3rd principle

The design principle of regenerating natural systems takes inspiration from the resilience and resourcefulness of the natural world. In the forest, every element - leaves, insects, decaying logs - contributes to a thriving ecosystem. Even death becomes life as nutrients cycle back into the soil. What if industries could adopt this approach, ensuring that everything we create gives back to the environment rather than depleting it?

In the furniture industry, the story of regeneration is just beginning to unfold. Designers and brands are beginning to experiment with materials and processes that nourish rather than extract. Imagine furniture made of biomaterials, such as algae, which absorbs carbon as it grows, purifies water, and contributes to local biodiversity. 

In cities, we’ve seen glimpses of this potential. Buildings designed with green façades don’t just house people; they create habitats for birds and insects, cool urban heat islands, and purify the air. Some even produce more energy than they consume, proving that human-made systems can support the planet rather than burden it. This perspective isn’t limited to architecture - it extends to other fields such as the furniture industry.

The Peel Chair by Prowl Studio, for example, illustrates this regenerative approach, using upcycled orange peels and other biobased materials to turn food waste into functional, aesthetically pleasing furniture. Its biodegradability ensures it can return to the earth, contributing to soil health and closing the loop. Check out our Changemaker interview with Prowl to learn more.

The Peel Chair by Prowl Studio

The Peel Chair by Prowl Studio

Designers are also turning to mycelium, the root-like structure of fungi, to grow furniture. Mycelium decomposes naturally, enriching the soil and closing the loop in its lifecycle. Alea’s Back to Dirt collection embodies this vision by creating lightweight, fully compostable pieces that actively improve ecosystems by reintroducing organic matter into the earth as it breaks down.

Alea’s Back to Dirt

Alea’s Back to Dirt Process

Alea’s Back to Dirt Chair

Some designers are pioneering carbon-positive processes that remove more carbon from the atmosphere than they emit. Compostboard, for instance, transforms agricultural byproducts like wheat straw into durable, biodegradable panels. These panels can be composted at the end of their lifecycle, returning nutrients to the soil. By using agricultural byproducts, they all-but eliminate the need for new resource extraction, making compostboard a regenerative powerhouse.

Compostboard Samples

Compostboard - Regenerative Cycle

Compostboard - Cabinet

Compostboard - Chair

Compostboard - Decorative Wall

Towards a Regenerative Future

Just as the forest thrives through its intricate web of interdependence, so too can furniture, fostering ecosystems that flourish. Furniture design can align with nature’s regenerative cycles, offering a glimpse of a future in which human creations actively contribute to the planet’s well-being.

The journey toward regeneration represents not only an environmental and economic shift, but also a philosophical one. It challenges us to reimagine our role within the biosphere, redefining progress as creating systems that heal rather than harm. By embracing regenerative principles, we can craft a world in which both humanity and nature - and tables and chairs! - prosper together.

Other articles in our “Furniture and Circularity: A Primer” series -

• Introduction - Furniture and Circularity: A Primer

• Article 1 - Rethinking Design: Embracing Circular Economy Principles

• Article 2 - Design for Longevity: Circular Economy & Furniture

Sources:

Circular Economy - Ellen MacArthur Foundation

The Circular Transformation of Industries: Unlocking Economic Value - Word Economic Forum

What is Regenerative Design? - ArchDaily

Green Furniture Concept Sustainably Manufactures Biophilic Designs - Designboom

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