Climate Festival for the Construction Industry of the Future, in Berlin: Sedus in dialogue about circular design

Circularity stands for the extension of a product's life cycle through clever design solutions and resource-saving approaches. For the furniture industry, this means:

• Modular designs that facilitate repair and recycling

• Use of durable materials

• Resource-conserving production processes

• Development of take-back and recycling systems

The ‘second-life’ market is also becoming increasingly important: 55% of German consumers bought second-hand furniture last year. This is a clear sign of a shift in societal awareness.

A highlight of the Climate Festival was the panel talk, moderated by May-Britt Frank-Grosse, editor-in-chief of BauNetz interior design. Along with industry experts such as Gabriela Hauser (BDI), Dirk Hindenberg (Klöber) and Thomas Willié (USM Germany), our designer Konstantin Thomas discussed the opportunities and challenges of circular strategies in furniture construction.

• Sustainability begins in the design process: products must be designed for durability and reparability from the outset.
• Early dialogue with customers: Markets are often not yet ready for circular solutions. The key is to create acceptance through early exchange and education.
• Hurdles remain: Logistics, take-back and recycling still pose challenges that need to be solved together.
• Social responsibility counts: In addition to ecological factors, companies should also focus on their responsibility towards their employees - an aspect that is often neglected.

In summary, circular design is not only a sustainable approach, but also a key driver for the future of the furniture industry. It requires a rethink at all levels - from the design process and production through to usage and recycling models. The success of second-hand markets shows that society is ready to go along with this change. It is now up to companies, architects and designers to develop and implement the right solutions.