In the very near future, we will encounter several new EU regulations aimed at environmental and sustainability issues, and they will mean major changes for the entire furniture industry. This article addresses some of the EU regulations that will impact the furniture industry, and which producers, dealers and architects should be aware of.
One of the new EU regulations that will have the biggest impact is the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and the Digital Product Passport (DPP), which must accompany every product. This documentation describes all of a product’s phases including origin, materials, sustainability data and information on recycling and dismantling. Better environmental information about furniture means new planning possibilities for architects and interior designers. It also facilitates reuse and the circular economy in a different way than before, as one of the challenges with existing furniture renovation is the lack of information about old furniture.
The taxonomy is a classification system for environmentally sustainable operations that is used as a tool to achieve climate goals within the EU’s green growth strategy. The goal of the taxonomy is to define and categorise sustainable investments, which will affect how companies report and communicate their environmental initiatives. This in turn sets greater demands for transparency, which enables the environmentally aware customer to make more proactive choices.
Proposal Packaging and Packaging Waste (PPWR) will address issues concerning product packaging, mainly with a focus on packaging waste and how it can be recycled. This involves the revaluation of packaging material and design to minimise waste and increase the use of recycled materials.
The promotion of sustainable methods for land-use and forestry falls within the remit of Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF). For furniture producers, this will involve carefully considering the origin of the wood and other raw materials to make sure they come from sustainable sources. In light of this legislation, the Forest Certification FSC® (Savo’s licence number FSC-C009111) will probably gain a more prominent role.
The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDD) will involve more stringent regulations for supply chains, and this will mean companies must actively monitor, identify and address potential risks in their supply chains – both in terms of the environment and human rights. For the furniture industry, where global supplier networks are the norm, carefully considered and thorough risk management will be crucial. Companies that already work with Swedish Möbelfakta enjoy a great advantage in that Möbelfakta has tough requirements for responsible supply chains, while companies that do not work with Möbelfakta will face major challenges in meeting the upcoming legislation.
In all, this legislation seeks to achieve a transition toward a more sustainable, responsible industry. For furniture companies, it will mean a revaluation of a product’s entire lifecycle from the design stage right through to final use and beyond. The future of the furniture industry will be about balancing aesthetics, functionality and sustainability to create beautiful spaces that also take good care of our planet. To succeed with this comprehensive change, companies will need to understand the new EU regulations and actively commit to adapting to them.