RE-EASY a circular furniture system
26 April 2018
Progetto Arcadia
Description
Arcadia Design envisions a design that changes as its owner does.
It produces a modular and circular furniture system based on a design-for-reuse structure with registered patent which grants stability with less material and is easy to be assembled/disassembled. Modularity as a choice to stimulate reuse, transformation, customisation and imagination.
The furniture system maximises the use of the same modules for different products and it has been developed so that it can be reused, returned and regenerated over and over again. It is in certified bio-materials with non-toxic finishing and it features also a local supply chain and a limited edition in a Central Italy chestnut usually employed as bio-fuel. The furniture is light, compact, customisable, circular and stimulates interaction with objects and between adults and children.
It currently manufactures chairs and tables for children already commercialised that can become a toy for children, a photoframe for the family, an armchair for young people and much more.
The company has 8 out of 10 circular economy drivers according to Symbola+Federlegno Arredo;
The company has one patent pending and 10 designs registered at EU level.
In 2017 the company was invited by the Italian Senate to speak on circular economy, and reached the final at the ERG Re-generation Challenge.
Added value
- every product is easy to be assembled and disassembled and can be redesigned by the customer or returned and regenerated by the company
- packaging and structure optimise the space and minimise transport
- the patented structure grants stability using less material
- solid wood avoid glues as much as possible
- we kept the supply chain as local as possible, since transport is one of the major factor in environmental burden
- finishing avoids risk phrases
Challenges
- market is not ready for investing in a system that lasts longer but gives financial benefits only at the end of the (first) life
- further investment is required to develop a full system, add products and an online platform to support personalisation, sharing and circularity
Partners
- University of Milan Bicocca – GRISS Centre for Sustainable Development
- Umbria Region