In this series of articles, we present an alternative to the traditional ‘take-make-use-waste’ system of the linear economy. It’s a simple principle -- stop taking limited resources from the earth, start restoring it instead.
In today’s world of abundant options and free delivery, it’s easy to save money on a cheap sofa without thinking about its short lifespan. As soon as the fabric rips... the sofa is on its way to the trash pile. We’ll follow the environmental impact of a sofa and explore an alternative: the circular economy.
The circular economy places design at the center of both the problem and the solution. 80% of a furniture product’s environmental impact is determined during the design phase. Waste and pollution are not inevitable.
In nature, there is no such thing as waste - everything cycles, serving as a resource. In this article, we dive deep into the principle of keeping materials and products in use. We’ll share design strategies and real-world business models to illustrate theory-in-action within the furniture industry.
Nature doesn’t stop at preservation; it thrives on regeneration. In the furniture industry, the story of regeneration is just beginning to unfold. Designers and brands are experimenting with materials and processes that nourish rather than extract.
