2017
Genk
Furniture
Business design
Sustainable is not synonymous with ecological.
Challenge
We got to know Carl Meers, CEO of Indera, better during the learning path from The Argonauts to Copenhagen around new business models in the furniture sector. Back from this journey, together with Carl, we searched for ecological developments in the sector. There was almost nothing to be found. Many brands indicate how sustainable their furniture is, but that word should not be confused with ecological. It is not because a piece of furniture lasts for a long time that it is also ecological. For this it must be 100% recyclable and / or biodegradable. That is to say: you must be able to dismantle it easily in all the different material fractions and those components must each be recycled in their own way.
Approach
After a number of co-creation sessions with designers, suppliers and student product development, the biggest challenges were put into a master plan for realizing an eco-version of the best-selling model “Sintese”. The sofa had to be dismantled within fifteen minutes and all materials had to be brought back into the production chain by the suppliers.
Results
After a thorough workshop business modeling, we looked at how we could also put the prototype on the market? A subscription formula came up. It fitted seamlessly with the current trend of the sharing economy, whereby goods no longer become the property, but are rented out in a subscription formula. This new lease formula of a 100% certified cradle to cradle sofa will be put on the market at Interieur Kortrijk this autumn.
