Exploring Design Strategies in Upholstered Furniture: An In-Depth Exploration through Case Studies

This paper examines circular design strategies by collecting and analyzing case studies that unveil the evolutionary pathways of upholstered furniture. The objective is to chart the implementation of circular strategies, focusing on design approaches within this sector. Upholstery furniture currently poses distinctive challenges at the environmental level due to the assembly of diverse and non-recyclable materials within the final product, the non-reversible assembly systems, and the lack of a specific disposal chain. The paper is structured as follows: firstly, a concise literature review categorizes potential drivers for sustainable design. Then, a case study analysis highlights the ongoing interventions in the design, production, service, life extension, and disposal phase’s specific to upholstered furniture. This results in a curated collection of design approaches that may facilitate circularity within this sector, as they have the potential to instigate a paradigm shift, fostering the adoption of circular business models. The paper ends with recurrent trajectories and synergistic design approaches holding transformative potential within the upholstered furniture sector. The investigation contributes to the ongoing discourse on sustainable and circular design practices, shedding light on the challenges and strategic opportunities for designers, businesses, and policymakers aiming to re-design the evolving landscape of circular design in upholstered furniture.