The European furniture industries embrace sustainability initiatives and the opportunities that the twin transition will bring, including new products in line with lifestyle changes and sustainability trends, as well as new business models. We follow and contribute closely to many initiatives at EU level, such as the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) or the Waste Framework Directive (WFD).
For the circular economy to work, harmonised rules will be needed at EU level, preventing a patchwork of national divergent requirements. While the ESPR can drive a circular economy forward, it focuses on product design (performance and information requirements).
Hence, a holistic approach is recommended and a combination of tools allowing scalability of solutions to fully close the loop and enable a real transition to a more circular economy in our sector. One of such solutions are harmonised Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes across the EU.
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A mature EPR system can establish relationships throughout the entire value chain, from raw material suppliers to producers, collectors, recyclers and consumers, which will in turn support and accelerate transformation towards a circular economy. Harmonised EPRs should incentivise producers and their supply chain to develop products that are easier to dismantle and recycle, to use more sustainable materials, to explore different business models, leading to longer product lifetime and to higher awareness and participation among consumers concerning recycling. Industry associations play a key role in this transition by guiding producers in both product design and waste management systems.
However, a major challenge remains in handling non circular products already on the market. Addressing this requires both managing existing products and ensuring future furniture aligns with circular economy principles. The ESPR will help by providing clear guidelines to encourage and enforce sustainable design.