Interview: Rethink Furniture
Future-oriented trend forum
You are curating the Trend Forum Function & Components at interzum 2025. How does this align with the central theme of this year’s edition of the trade fair, "Rethinking Resources: Circular and Biobased Solutions"?
As we did at interzum 2023, we would like to take another glimpse into the near future and identify the issues the furniture fittings industry is set to – and must – address in the coming years. One of the primary areas of focus will be the development of circular solutions that seamlessly integrate materials, technology and innovative ideas. Finding biobased solutions for fittings is particularly challenging. We'll shed light on how the combination of sustainable materials, cutting-edge technologies and well-thought-out design can help to make furniture and products consistently circular.
Are there any other innovations that you will be showcasing at the Trend Forum?
For the first time, we will also be looking at how the digital product passport can be applied to more complex furniture designs. In the future, this tool will play a decisive role in making the origin of the materials used more transparent and making it easier for them to be fed back into the loop. The Trend Forum will explore these topics in a practical and future-focused way, and present solutions that provide fresh insights for the industry.
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Visualization of the stand design for the Function & Components trend forum at interzum 2025. Copyright: byform produktdesign
Circuit design: less, but better
The title of the Trend Forum will be "Rethink Furniture – Less, but Better", embracing designer Dieter Rams' philosophy of "less, but better". How can this guiding principle of post-war modernism be applied to today's production and marketing processes?
With future circularity requirements in mind, achieving the goal becomes much more feasible when a principle such as "less, but better" is prioritised from the outset. The more complex and multi-layered products are in terms of their manufacturing process and material composition, the harder it becomes to achieve the desired level of circularity. On the other hand, if we focus on demountable, tool-free designs and ones that enable products to be easily broken down into their constituent materials, we can achieve these goals much more efficiently.
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Visualization of the stand design for the Function & Components trend forum at interzum 2025. Copyright: byform produktdesign
Various themed areas
What will be the main focal points of the Trend Forum at interzum 2025?
Located in Hall 10.2, this year’s edition of the Trend Forum will focus on various themed areas and serve as a hub for innovations and advances in the fittings industry. In collaboration with various industry partners, we aim to bring together the ideas currently being discussed and implemented in order to offer visitors a comprehensive overview of the most important trends and challenges.
How will you meet this objective with the Trend Forum?
The content will be presented in such a way that it provides both a visual and a tactile experience. Through a combination of studies and market-ready products, visitors will be able to gain insights into how the fittings industry is developing solutions for key future challenges. The aim is not only to provide inspiration, but also to showcase practical approaches and innovative concepts that will drive the industry forward.
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Function & Components trend forum at interzum 2025, detail. Copyright: byform produktdesign
Market developments and prospects
You had previously presented products and fittings designed with the circular economy in mind at the last edition of interzum in 2023. What developments have you observed in this regard since then?
The market and manufacturers are becoming more attuned to the significance of circular practices. Sustainable improvements and solutions are being included in product development considerations from the outset, which illustrates that the awareness of the importance of environmentally friendly approaches is growing. At the same time, a significant effort is being made to avoid greenwashing. The focus is on honest, transparent communication about the properties of products and their stage of development. It is also openly recognised that not all objectives are attainable at this point, a reality that needs to be acknowledged on the journey towards sustainable transformation.
What still needs to change?
For innovative ideas to thrive in the market, it's crucial that both companies and consumers shift their mindsets. Demand for sustainable products must be further increased in order to accelerate and safeguard the transition to circular solutions in the long term.
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Function & Components trend forum at interzum 2023. Copyright: Koelnmesse GmbH
Potential of artificial intelligence
What changes do you expect to see in the furniture industry in general? Do you think that artificial intelligence will accelerate the shift to a circular economy?
Technical innovations and AI applications have significant potential to drive transformative change, including in the furniture industry. Numerous processes that a piece of furniture undergoes – from planning and production through to adaptive reuse – can be made more efficient through the use of modern technologies.
Can you give us an example?
One example is the use of digital twins, which make it possible to detect errors at an early stage, make improvements as early as the development phase and significantly increase material efficiency. In addition, AI can be used to develop targeted products that are precisely tailored to the requirements of the market and end customers.
How can such innovations be implemented on a larger scale?
Companies must be open-minded and well prepared to invest for such innovations to be adopted widely. Many companies are faced with the challenge of evaluating the effectiveness of new technologies for their specific context and integrating them into existing structures. However, the engagement of consumers is also required to bring about this shift. To spark successful change on every front, a fresh perspective on aesthetics, an increased appreciation of the value of repairs and a stronger shift towards more sustainable consumer habits are needed.