changemaker interviews
featuring leadersin innovation
We uncover the nuts and bolts of how leaders are driving change within their organizations and in the furniture industry at large.
We uncover the nuts and bolts of how leaders are driving change within their organizations and in the furniture industry at large.
“It’s not a me problem — it’s a we problem,” Murata emphasizes, underscoring the importance of shared, accessible language and peer learning in diverting billions of pounds of no-longer-wanted commercial furniture from landfill each year.
“We can’t wait any longer,” urges Sarah Templin, who oversees Gensler’s Product Sustainability Standards. “The time is now to pay attention.”
We sat down with Sarah Templin to learn how Gensler sees its standards as an opportunity to define a healthier future for our industry.
“I hate the word trash!” Woodward Throwbacks is pushing the creative boundaries of re-use in design.
Together, founders Bo Shepherd and Kyle Dubay aim to shift preconceived misconceptions that often come with sustainable design.
“We aim to help designers envision themselves as participants in climate advocacy and action.”
With Lew Epstein, founder of Lot21 we learn how collective tools and action can catapult circular innovation - transforming invisible waste streams into pioneering materials.
“We wanted to close the loop on our value chain, and find a market for that ‘last piece’ - our scraps.”
Beverly McAuley of Moore & Giles and Donald Morrison of Sustainable Composites describe their partnership in creating Habitat - a circular material made from upcycled leather - and bringing it to market.
“We hope to inspire big manufacturers to rethink their offering and ‘knock down’ their furniture into smaller, manageable parts” says David Charne – co-founder & CEO of Fyrn.
Charne shares the joys and challenges of evolving Fyrn’s unique hardware system, custom screw, 2nds platform and other circular innovations.
We asked the Director of Sustainability – Emily McGarvey – about Room & Board’s strategies, commitments, and what it takes to become a force for good in the furniture industry.
“There’s a need for a collective voice to move things forward, faster.”
“We’re always searching, researching, hunting ... hence our name PROWL.”
We spoke with Lauryn Menard and Baillie Mishler -- co-founders of PROWL Studio -- about their hemp-based, compostable PEEL Chair and how they use regenerative design and collaboration to shape materials, furniture and spaces.
Model No. is seeking to disrupt the furniture industry with digital manufacturing and 3D printing.
We ask CEO Philip Raub about Model No.'s aspirations to make ever-more circular products. And what it will take to drive industry-wide change.
Meet game-changers who are disrupting business-as-usual in the furniture industry through sustainable procurement and storytelling.
We ask Dodds & Shute about their sustainability audit and rating system in this Changemakers interview.
Just weeks before my visit to Norway in 2022, Vestre opened The Plus, “the world’s most environmentally friendly furniture factory.”
Intrigued, I shot over an email – and was honored, a few weeks later, to get the chance to sit down with Øyvind Bjørnstad, Chief Sustainability Officer.