Rhubarb Recognised as a Leader

We say we design for green, not for the bin. We are proud and delighted that our approach to circular design has now been independently verified and Rhubarb has been recognised as a Leader in the field.

Nottingham Trent University and Design Conformity looked at 136,000 furniture manufacturers in the UK and Europe and their research suggested that only around 10% are actively engaged in circularity. They classified companies into four groups:

90% were simply Responders who have some sustainability credentials but do not design for re-use or offer take-back schemes.

9% were seen as Explorers who just react to customer demand.

0.9% were Strategists, applying circular design principles and accepting product returns or offering a limited take-back scheme.

Just 0.1% of companies they looked at were classed as Leaders – those who both apply circular design principles to their product and offer take-back schemes that include both their own and other products for re-use or recycling.

They then surveyed 39 manufacturers in detail to understand better their attitudes to circularity in their and others’ products.

Rhubarb is one of only four companies classed as a Leader.

Design Conformity hosted the awards ceremony at Showcase’s Clerkenwell Showroom at the end of April – we were very proud to be there.

As part of the process, two of our products, the Cantay sofa and The Banq banquette, have been independently certified, providing a product passport focussing not only on the carbon footprint but also on end-of-life re-use.