The Evergreen Concept – Circular Together

 

 

 

 

Every year, millions of tons of furniture are discarded by consumers and businesses. Under current models of consumption, one single workspace can represent between 300 – 700 pounds of potential waste – leading to 19M tons of office furniture wasted every year in the US and EU alone. At smartvillage, we’re following the idea that there is so much between preserving furniture and throwing it away. Our colorful and sometimes “imperfect-perfect” looking design is the result of a constant process of reusing materials, upcycling furniture, or buying an old stock that would have been thrown away. 

 

With THE EVERGREEN CONCEPT, we have created a new sustainable design approach together with strong partners. But with this in mind, we hope to expand our circular approach into a collective discussion about the way we design our spaces and the ways in which we work together. 

This is just the beginning. Welcome to THE EVERGREEN CONCEPT. Welcome to smartvillage’s way of thinking, and hopefully, welcome on board! 

1. THE PROJECT 

2. OUR PARTNERS ON BOARD

• Haworth
• OBJECT CARPET
• VANK
• styleGreen
• Organoid

3. INVOLVED PRODUCTS

• Planes Flip Top Table and Lively Guest
• Amy
• rPET and Bio Panels and Ring Collection
• Moss Letters and Plant Pictures
• Almwiesn

4. YOU WANT TO JOIN? 

 

THE PROJECT: THE EVERGREEN CONCEPT

THE EVERGREEN CONCEPT is a sustainable new design approach following the mission to turn from a linear economy to a circular one. Together with our partners, we have created one of the first agile workspaces in Germany that’s made of 100% recycled or upcycled products and is therefore a lighthouse project in terms of circularity. With this project, we’ll start a new era in the design of working environments by extending the lifetime of products, using as many natural materials as possible, and turning plastic waste into beautiful design elements. Eventually, we’re dispelling the idea – once and for all – that sustainability requires compromises in aesthetics and functionality.

 

 

Because the opposite is true. It inspires people to innovate and widen their horizons. At the same time, it helps us to stay rooted by stimulating our senses and strengthening the bonds between humans and nature. Something we need desperately in our fast-paced and digital working world.

 

 

IT ALL BEGINS WITH THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS…

To ensure that we build workspaces that positively influence the planet, we have put longevity as the top priority in our product range. All our products are either:

… AND STANDS AND FALLS WITH THE RIGHT PARTNERS.

OUR PARTNERS ON BOARD

 

HAWORTH

Globally, Haworth improves workspaces with award-winning furniture, interior architecture, and technology solutions. Founded in 1948, Haworth remains family-owned and has evolved into one of the largest furniture manufacturers in the world, serving markets in more than 120 countries through a global network of 650 dealers and more than 7000 employees.

 

Why sustainability matters to them

As they strive to be a sustainable organization, they’ve set ambitious sustainability goals for 2025: Designing new products using circular design principles, following a clear ZERO WASTE approach, and relying on 100% sustainable wood resources as well as 100% renewable energy.

 

Why they have joined THE EVERGREEN CONCEPT

 

„THE EVERGREEN CONCEPT is a wonderful opportunity to support a more circular business model, pursue second life options, and make it easier for customers to utilize alternatives and use recycled furniture.”

 

OBJECT CARPET

Carpets have been the passion of OBJECT CARPET for 50 years. Made in Germany, uncompromising quality is paired with a special design. The entire range of OBJECT CARPET’s flooring stands for longevity and robustness. All carpets allow architects, companies, and private clients to add crisp and vibrant accents in specific zones of a building. Converting zones of sale, public areas, or meeting locations into aesthetic spaces that offer something beyond their function.

 

How sustainability matters to them

Did you know that OBJECT CARPET has decided to bring only circular products to the market by 2024? This means 100% recyclable design carpets with no ecological footprint. Unwind your sensuality, take a deep breath and rely on sustainability. smartvillage and OBJECT CARPET launched their official partnership and we’re on a common path towards sustainability and extraordinary interior designs for future workplaces.

 

Why have you joined THE EVERGREEN CONCEPT

 

“Joining THE EVERGREEN CONCEPT and therefore contributing to a sustainable and future-proof workplace design is a great milestone for OBJECT CARPET. Circular thinking is the common ground for all project partners and for OBJECT CARPET a long-term mindset.”

 

VANK

VANK is a team of architects, engineers, and craftsmen. They design and produce original furniture, modern chairs, and tables, whose aesthetics and functionality go hand in hand with an expressive line. Their current challenge? Technologically advanced acoustic solutions. Following the motto “Art everywhere”, their core design rejects imitation, regression, and outdated forms.

 

Why sustainability matters to them

VANK fights for an environment free of toxins and pollution and aims for climate neutrality. By controlling the entire production process, VANK optimizes its resources and reduces the amount of waste – ensuring to meet the needs of the generation of today without limiting the opportunities for future generations to benefit from the same resources.

 

Why they have joined THE EVERGREEN CONCEPT

 

„Joining THE EVERGREEN CONCEPT for VANK means, that we’re setting the initial spark of a whole industry transformation together with other amazing partners on board.”

 

STYLEGREEN

Since 2012, styleGREEN has been producing vertical design objects made of real, naturally preserved plants and mosses. styleGREEN is an internationally established brand that creates a modern biophilic design and sets industry standards by laying great emphasis on the highest quality, passion, and attention to detail in their work.

 

100% nature, 0% care!

styleGREEN uses only natural materials for its moss & plant products and helps architects, designers, companies and private individuals create extraordinary spaces all over the world – all with the help of truly sustainable products.

 

Why they have joined THE EVERGREEN CONCEPT

 

„We decided to participate in THE EVERGREEN CONCEPT because our work is based on the Biophilic Design concept, which is rooted in the fact that human beings need nature in their lives in order to feel good. And the best place to start is where we spend most of our time – indoors!“

ORGANOID

Organoid® is an innovative company that processes real Alpine hay, blossoms and leaves into wonderful scented, natural surfaces for biophilic interior design. The natural properties of the untreated raw materials improve the room climate and the feel-good atmosphere. The Organoid® sustainable surfaces are produced climate neutrally in Tyrol, Austria.

 

Why they matter about sustainability

All sustainable surfaces are produced climate neutrally in Tyrol, Austria. But that’s not all. Their electricity is generated entirely from hydropower and their Alpine hay is received at fair prices exclusively from local farmers. By using Organoid® products, you reduce emissions: 1 kg of hay binds around 0.45 kg of CO₂. Organoid® uses raw materials that can no longer be processed in conventional production processes. Therefore, leftover materials such as coffee powder, moss or spelt husks find an innovative application in interior design – upcycling.

Why they have joined THE EVERGREEN CONCEPT

 

“Together with our customers and partners, we want to bring sustainable interior design closer to people. Nature should be integrated into the architecture of the room in a simple and meaningful way. With THE EVERGREEN
CONCEPT, we will move into a greener future together.”

 

INVOLVED PRODUCTS

PLANES FLIP TOP TABLE AND LIVELY GUEST – SAVED FROM THE BIN

Me – Lively Guest – and my patchwork family of other chairs and tables provide sophisticated ergonomic solutions and well-being for people in seminars, meetings, conferences, or event locations like smartvillage. Together with “Planes Flip Flop Tables” – our partners in crime – we are not just pieces of conference furniture, but a complete conference system. Since my whole family of chairs has been made from long-lasting, high-quality materials (~90% is steel and durable plastics), I’m convinced that we’ll have a long life expectancy.

 

Did you know that my recyclability is up to 84%? By using recyclable materials and reducing energy consumption for transport, “Planes” also bears testimony to Haworth’s dedication to the environment. Planes was produced in a zero-landfill manufacturing site in Germany and can be easily disassembled at the end of its useful life. Planes tables contain 59% recycled materials and are certified for their contribution to a healthy indoor air environment.

Saved from the bin

My colorful family of chairs and tables were part of Haworth’s showroom furniture a few years ago, and were then, despite a few quirks, handed over to Berghain to extend their lifecycles. Since we’re the result of a furniture rescue operation, it’s not surprising that we’re not fitting together perfectly. Anyway, we add character, don’t we? 😉

 

 

AMY – A CARPET OUT OF PLASTIC WASTE AND FISHING NETS

Hi, I’m AMY! I bring a lively ambiance and a feel-good atmosphere to workspaces through textile flooring. Through a suave mix of material and patterns as well as daring color combinations, my design becomes the stage for the unusual. My superpower? The highest acoustic effectiveness. Unlike conventional carpets, I’m quite sensitive and allergic to many things. Therefore, I was created with 100% recycled ECONYL® yarn from AQUAFIL and my WELLTEX® backing is free from PVC, Latex, and Bitumen.

 

Did you know that my yarn is largely generated from discarded fishing nets from our oceans? Compared to conventional yarn, the production of ECONYL® reduces water consumption by 15% – and greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80%. You see, the magic sometimes lies in the unseen. 😉

 

 

RPET AND BIO PANELS AND RING COLLECTION – TURNING PLASTIC WASTE INTO DESIGN

Guess who has been nominated for the German Sustainability Design Award 2022 and made it to the finals? That’s us! We’re VANK’s 100% recyclable rPET and BIO panels, constantly following the mission to provide the perfect sound absorption on walls or in beautifully designed phone booths. In our manufacturing process, conventional oil-based polyurethane foam was replaced through a resource produced in line with the principles of the circular economy. One of the innovative resources is the so-called rPET – made of recycled PET bottles. Super cool, isn’t it?

 

Including prototypes in the workplace

It is rumored that we are historically significant. We – the prototypes of the RING collection – can be found at smartvillage. So, we may not be the optimized product, but we are still far too good to not be used or even be thrown away. With us, VANK created another collection completely in line with the Cradle-to-Cradle principle. Chapeau!

 

 

MOSS LETTERS AND PLANT PICTURES – 100% NATURE, 0% CARE

Hi there! We are real pieces of nature that don’t require a green thumb. We can be used as a stylish wall decoration and acoustic protection for crowded workspaces like smartvillage. Our 100% real mosses and plants are cultivated on certified farms in Europe and harvested by hand.

 

To have a bit more grip, our partners in crime – FSC-certified wood fiber frames – support us during our long lifetime. Would you believe that we don’t need any care? No water, no soil, no gardener, no nothing. Our naturalness is retained for many years although the usage of chemicals in the preservation process is strictly avoided. Environmentally packaged and arranged by hand, we’re happy to have found our final destination for spending the rest of our lives: smartvillage.

 

 

ALMWIESN – PURE NATURE INDOORS

If you want to bond with nature on a stressful working day, you’ll be happy to meet me! My name is ALMWIESN and I’m made of real hand-cut and lovely processed Tyrolean Alpine hay. My mission? Bringing real nature indoors without maintenance and with added value for a more pleasant and healthier room climate. Through raw, fragrant, and natural surfaces, I’m helping people to connect with their senses again – especially in a fast-paced and digital working world.

 

The scent of my perfume stems from a combination of colorful petals including arnica, cornflower, heather, rose, and marguerites. Coming from local farmers, these fine herbs and grasses grow at an altitude of over 1,700 m. They are only mowed once a year and are not fertilized. The backing material is a breathable wallpaper, that’s free from eco-logical or other health concerns – manufactured climate-neutral. I’m produced with care so all-natural properties such as scent, color, and haptic of my ingredients are preserved.

 

YOU WANT TO JOIN?