Sustainable Furniture Thanks to a Digital Passport
The circular economy is gradually establishing itself across a range of sectors, and furniture is no exception. With the Furnipass project, WOOD.BE and TripleR.io are working together to develop a Digital Product Passport (DPP) for furniture.
Supported by the Belgium Builds Back Circular (BBBC) programme, the project helps companies in the sector to anticipate new European requirements, while strengthening links between the various players in the value chain.
A Project Born of a Regulatory Milestone
The project originates in WOOD.BE's long-standing support for Belgian furniture companies. With the entry into force of the European directive, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), manufacturers are required to make their products not only more sustainable, but also more transparent and traceable using a digital passport. This passport will provide key information, yet to be defined, but which could relate to the origin, composition and manufacturing conditions of products. The aim is to promote sustainability by facilitating the repair, recycling and reuse of materials, thereby helping to reduce waste.
For companies, it is a lever for innovation and competitiveness, enhancing the quality and durability of their furniture. For consumers, it is an opportunity to make more responsible purchasing choices, taking into account the environmental and social impact of products.
Furnipass was launched in preparation for this major change and to help the sector adapt.
Mapping, Designing and Informing
The digital product passport has yet to be published for the furniture industry. Furnipass is developing a prototype that will be tested by manufacturers, distributors and end-of-life actors (collectors, recyclers).
The project also focuses on three more actions:
mapping the furniture value chain in Belgium, with a particular focus on the end-of-life of products.
developing sector-specific ecodesign guidelines in line with the ESPR regulation.
informing and training professionals through workshops, webinars and a dedicated information and training day.
A Growing Commitment From Industry Players
This work will be used to adjust the tool's structure and functionality based on feedback from the field. In addition to the technological aspect, innovation is embedded in the process: organising an entire value chain around a common objective of transparency and sustainability.
However, it has not been easy to prepare companies, as many are only just discovering the scope of the new European regulations. An initial webinar attracted a great deal of interest. Since then, 19 industry representatives - manufacturers, distributors, federations and recycling providers - have come together to follow the project and test the prototype, the trial phase of which is set to last until the end of 2026.
The Circular Economy, a Future Lever for the Industry
Ultimately, Furnipass aims to boost collaboration between all the links in an often-fragmented chain, and fill in the missing links through workshops and a range of tools created to identify possible synergies between different players. Ecodesign guidelines will help to extend the life of furniture and make it easier to reuse and recycle.
Through the BBBC fund, financed by the European NextGenerationEU Recovery Plan, the FPS Public Health is supporting the sector in its transition. This assistance gives the sector practical support to prepare for the new ESPR requirements and to accelerate progress towards a circular economy.
For WOOD.BE, the circular economy remains an essential lever for the future of the industry: "This model combines economic and environmental benefits such as reducing waste and optimising the use of resources - a sustainable perspective for tomorrow's businesses," points out Susanna Campogrande, from the Research and Innovation department.
Want More Information?
(Re)Watch the webinar recording here
or discover WOOD.BE and TripleR.io in relation to the development of the Furnipass project.
