Circular Design Strategies: A Life Cycle approach for the furniture sector

Design plays a strategic role in enabling the circular transition of the furniture sector by influencing how products are conceived, produced, used, and recovered. As most environmental impacts are determined during the design phase, circular design is a key lever for improving resource efficiency and reducing impacts throughout the product life cycle. This chapter examines the evolution of sustainability-oriented design approaches, showing how circular design integrates ecodesign, systemic design, product- service systems, and Life Cycle Thinking (LCT). It also discusses the use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate environmental impacts and avoid burden shifting. Finally, the chapter presents the 9R framework, covering design, life extension, and waste optimisation strategies, highlighting how design choices foster innovation, competitiveness, and environmental, economic, and social value across the furniture value chain.