Ambition, action and innovation in the furniture sector

Wittenborg is project coordinator of the Erasmus+ funded project INFURI project which focuses on circular innovation in the furniture industry. On 11 May, Wittenborg, together with eight other project partners from nine different countries across Europe, organised the INFURI Project Final Conference “From ambition to action: tangible tools for the circular economy in the wood-furniture industry’’, which took place in Milan, Italy and which was hosted by Italian project partner Materially.

Maggie Feng, CEO and Aydan Ismayilova, EU Project Manager & Junior Researcher, travelled to Milan to attend and participate in the conference on behalf of Wittenborg. The conference took place at Designtech, during day four of the Milan Innovation District (MIND) Innovation Week.

This conference addressed topics such as circular economy, eco-design principles, circular strategies and green procurement, and provided an exciting business opportunity for industry exchange and discussion on how to implement sustainability into the furniture sector guided by tangible innovative tools.

The conference guests include representatives from Salone del Mobile, FederlegnoArredo, Ogólnopolska Izba Gospodarcza Producentów Mebli (the Polish Chamber of Commerce of Furniture Manufacturers), as well as local and international companies. Wittenborg CEO Maggie Feng participated in the panel of guest speakers, alongside Davide Barzaghi, Founder of Biosofa, Maria Porro, president of FederlegnoArredo with responsibility for sustainability and president of Salone del Mobile Milano, and Anna Pellizzari, Executive Director of Materially.

Conference delegates received updates on the latest developments & best practices in the industry and they were exposed to potentially new export markets and raw materials imports. They also had exciting networking opportunity with other industry players.

The collaboration opportunities initiated at the Final Conference continue in the INFURI projects Multi-Actor Circular Network, where furniture industry representatives across Europe are connecting and discussing future events and new educational and technological developments in the sector. The Multi-Actor Circular Network is available in two forms: to join the web-based Multi-Actor Network, please fill in and submit the form HERE. To join the LinkedIn-based Multi-Actor Network, please request to join the LinkedIn group HERE.

Following the successful conference, the INFURI project partners gathered together on 12 May for their final transnational project meeting, where updates and details in relation to the end of the project on 31 May were discussed, including financial and project administration, final reporting and dissemination of the project results.

All project partners were happy with the outcome of the final conference and transnational project meeting in Milan and look forward to what the future holds for circularity in the furniture sector.

For more information on INFURI, visit the official project website, LinkedIn page, and Multi-Actor Circular Network!

WUP 29/05/2023
by Selina White
©WUAS Press