Smarter design, more efficient production
In our own production we have a direct influence on how material is used. Our board store gives us an overview of the offcuts available, and we keep usable pieces for future production runs. That way, not every part has to be cut from a new board.
For board optimisation we use advanced software that nests parts as efficiently as possible on each board. Offcuts are registered and reused wherever possible. Waste streams are also separated, so each material can be processed in the right way.
Leftover material isn’t automatically waste
We try to let material keep its value for as long as possible. Usable offcuts are stored for reuse. In machining for third parties, larger pieces of leftover material are kept intact where possible and sent along to the client, rather than needlessly milled away. That keeps the chance of a second use higher.
Boards left unused at the end of a project are returned where possible, together with suppliers and partners in the chain. That keeps good-quality material from ending up as waste for no reason.
We also regularly donate usable materials to the HMC. Students get to learn to work with high-quality and varied materials, while the material keeps its remaining value.
Reuse before replacing
A sustainable interior doesn’t always have to be new. Existing parts can be assessed for technical suitability, repairability and remaining lifespan. If a part is still usable, we first look at reusing, repairing or adapting it before replacing it is considered.
That thinking runs through our project approach as well: with repair or refurbishment, existing furniture can sometimes stay in intensive use for years to come.
Designing for maintenance and a longer life
For us, sustainability is not only about where material comes from, but also about how long an interior stays usable. That is why we look at maintainability, disassembly and how easily parts can be replaced.
Where the construction and the look allow it, mechanical and accessible joints can be used. Parts prone to wear and damage can be made separately replaceable, so a whole element doesn’t have to be replaced when only one part is damaged.
Maintenance is part of that approach too. By looking after materials well, and repairing or adapting them where possible, the working life of an interior can be extended.
Deliberate choice of materials
For new materials we look at the project’s sustainability ambition as well as technical suitability. That can mean FSC- or PEFC-certified timber, recycled raw materials, bio-based alternatives, material emissions or available environmental information such as LCAs and EPDs.
A material with a sustainable profile isn’t automatically the best choice. So where needed we also compare function, technical properties, appearance, maintenance and lifespan.
That keeps us from choosing a material that looks attractive on paper but has to be replaced sooner in practice.
Prefabrication and less work on site
By making as many parts as possible in advance in our own production facility, we keep more control over dimensions, material use and quality. That helps limit remedial work and unnecessary processing on site.
Where possible, parts are pre-assembled or test-fitted. That reduces sawing, sanding and remedial work on site.
Working together in the chain
We can’t solve every sustainability question on our own. That is why we work with suppliers and partners in the chain on material origin, return flows, recycling and reuse.
In our project approach we use FSC/PEFC, LCAs, EPDs, sustainability reports and codes of conduct, among other things, as information for judging material and supplier choices.
At the end of an interior’s life, too, we look to the chain. Where possible, materials can be taken back, reused or recycled by material type.
Material passports and traceability
On projects where it is relevant, sustainability choices can be recorded in a material passport. It can include the main materials, origin, certificates, finishes, maintenance, how to disassemble, replaceable parts and options for reuse or take-back.
Measurable project values can also be set, such as the number and weight of reused parts, the share of certified new timber, transport movements and waste and processing streams.
In this way, sustainability is increasingly shifting from an ambition to something that can be concretely recorded and assessed for each project.
From choice of material to a second life
The common thread in our approach is clear: prevent first, then reuse, and only then replace or process.
Keep → optimise → produce efficiently → reuse offcuts → repair → return → reapply → recycle
That makes sustainability not a separate chapter alongside the project, but part of how we design, produce, install and maintain.
