Designing Circular Sofa Manufacturing
Product Design
System Design
Circular Design
Design Strategy
Sofa design has many sustainability problems.
All this time, sofas have been designed for one-time use, and the value of used sofas is almost nothing, so the majority of people don't want to buy second-hand. Beyond that, many sofas end up in landfills, making disposal very problematic for user
Disrupting unsustainable manufacturing process.
Our solution introduces a subscription business model that revolutionizes manufacturing processes and redefines the relationship between users and furniture, dramatically improving circularity rates
OWNE: A systems, business and product design approach to a truly sustainable, circular sofa.
We designed a sofa concept suitable for a subscription business model. The sofa is designed for disassembly, making it easier to deliver and save space in logistics, while enabling users to repair it themselves or return it to the shop for servicing.
The subscription model allows the company to reclaim materials when users no longer need the sofa, creating a circular economy. We identified the wood frame as the most valuable component for extending the sofa's lifespan—by reusing frames and replacing upholstery and fabric, the company can offer refreshed products while minimizing waste
A modular frame that can be disassembled and upholstery that can be compactly stored
Engineered for measurable sustainability impact
Beyond conceptual design and storytelling, we engineered a solution with quantifiable environmental performance. Our proposal demonstrates technical rigor through detailed metrics: material circularity index, carbon footprint calculations, and full lifecycle impact assessment
Credit:
OWNE Team
Innovation Design Engineer:
Ruta C.
Agathe S
Ifeolouwa
Wigy R