The furniture industry is one of the most innovative when it comes to incorporating new materials. Let’s think about methacrylate tables and chairs, or the legendary Acapulco Chair woven with PVC cord. The 21st century welcomes the age of expanded polypropylene (EPP) furniture design.
In this article you will discover how to make EPP furniture and the steps to follow by every EPP furniture manufacturer.
Basic points before starting an EPP furniture design
Users’ needs have changed the rules of the game. They ask for durable pieces, though they no longer want a piece of furniture to last a lifetime, always in the same room and in front of the same wall. They don’t even expect their children to inherit it. Second-hand market and the idea of reutilization matches with periodical interiors renovation. A sofa will have a long life, but maybe with different owners.
This new furniture user wants new pieces that adapt to their space limitations. New pieces that must be original and suitable to be pushed, pulled and loaded easily in multiple moves.
The market is also concerned about sustainability and the circular economy demands. Those new pieces should be manufactured with sustainable materials.
In this scenario, EPP furniture design has many possibilities to find a place in the market. It is lightweight, easy to mold and 100% recyclable.
The key point is finding a reliable provider for high quality material and technical support. As we’ll see, Knauf Industries has highly qualified engineers and technical resources to become the perfect partner.
How EPP gives an answer to new furniture market demands
New Customer needs
New consumers are not like previous generations. They may have the same needs, but they have a completely different wish list. When they think about a sofa, they may want an original one. Maybe a lighter one, or a new one with an unusual shape.
This is where EPP becomes the perfect solution. Its versatility, high endurance and remarkable lightness allows complete freedom in the design of sofas, armchairs, poufs and many more.
Customer’s age
Every generation follows different references and trends. Younger customers have a flexible idea of interior design: much more colorful, with smooth shapes and easy to move.
EPP is a 360⁰ moldable material and can be presented in several colors. That’s how a new generation of ergonomic and surprising furniture is born.
Budget and prices
Inexpensive, low-quality and unsustainable furniture is not fashionable anymore. EPP furniture may seem more expensive for furniture manufacturers than cheap wood products, as they must afford both the tooling (mold) and the manufacture of the components. However, once you have the mold, serial production goes faster and more cost-efficient.
On the other hand, those new pieces bring a rush of fresh air among furniture and satisfy the demand of originality, personal identity, creativity and sustainability.
Eventually, those customers are ready to pay a little more, making manufacturer investment on an EPP collection a good business.
Materials and market opportunities
Will you make your furniture as ever, with wood/metal, or are you looking for something else? As EPP furniture is still a little traveled road, manufacturers may easily make a room in the market.
When a designer or a manufacturer decides to jump into EPP, Knauf Industries becomes the know-how partner they need.
Providers
New materials don’t necessarily have to mean difficult to find or scarce materials. At Knauf Industries we produce EPP in Europe, relatively close to manufacturers. We also offer RELOOPP®, a recycled EPP material 100% suitable for furniture projects.
But we are more than an EPP component supplier. We are a team with our customers. This ensures a regular supply and technical help if needed.
Sustainability
New customers want to know the environmental impact of their decoration decisions. They prefer 100% recyclable pieces at the end of their life cycle. They also consider sofas or any other upholstered furniture pieces made with recycled material to reduce their carbon footprint.
EPP and RELOOPP® fit as a glove to these new demands.
8 steps to create and sell an original furniture piece
If you wonder how to make an EPP sofa from scratch, you should know it is not so different from other common furniture solutions in wood, plastic or metal. Except for the mold.
- Collect inputs. Pick up fashion & economy trends. Collect market analysis, know your buyer needs and get familiar with TikTok & media rules.
- Brainstorming. It’s time for EPP furniture originality, with no limits. Picasso, Michelangelo or Philippe Starck had no limits. Why should you?
- Development of the idea. Use computer 3D models, digital twins… Think of ecodesign to minimize your impact.
- Prototype. The very first prototype just to give shape to your idea can be easily milled in the EPP material. For a prototype for serial production you need to have a mold. Then, you will have your serial prototype. This step has is an investmentyou must take into account.
- Testing prototype. How strong is your sofa? Is it comfortable? Is it suitable for children/handicapped/old people? Washable? Humidity resistant? Is the aesthetic aspect what you expected?
- Implement changes & new prototype. As many as needed to get the perfect EPP sofa or EPP armchair.
- Final production. When the tests have good results, it’s time for manufacturing. If you are a European company, you’ll find it easy to get our EPP supplies as we produce our own EPP and have headquarters in many European countries.
- Marketing. It’s time for TikTok videos, Instagram, deco magazines, tv shows… The more sustainable/unique/designer solution, the more chances to be known everywhere.
Case of success: REVO
Revo by Profim is a modular collection with sofas, benches, screens, pouffes and tables. It is made with RELOOPP®, our recycled expanded polypropylene.
The whole collection is made in Poland, using only local supply chains. Pieces are molded in softly contoured organic shapes. By arranging these elements in different ways, Revo can be configured to suit every workspace, whatever its function or size.
As we see, Revo is an example of how EPP office furniture can push furniture limits to a more sustainable field. This furniture design with EPP has collected several design prizes and is known by insiders as the ‘environmentally friendly modular sofa’.
How Knauf Industries can help the furniture industry
Knauf Industries Industrial Solutions, with a long experience as an EPP provider, is a reliable partner. Our ID Lab engineers, who have many years of experience, are available to assist with design as well as production start-up.
We also offer a range of pre-production and post-production services so that every project reaches a unique look & feel and its maximum competitiveness.
Following the example of Revo, EPP and RELLOPP® can be also used for EPP home furniture, campers, garden sofas…
Knauf Industries and sustainability
At Knauf Industries we have a firm commitment to sustainability. Our engineers have developed new raw materials from pre- and post-consumer recycled plastics.
The simplicity of EPP molding and processing also has a significant impact on the production process. The material allows virtually any shape to be molded and the ability to achieve high repeatability in the production process.
