In 2023, Fritz Hansen collaborated with MiCollect and SPOOR on a pilot project to add traceability to new furniture at Danish Crown’s new headquarters. Using Digital Product Passports in the form of a chip placed under the upholstery during manufacturing, anyone can scan the chair using a mobile phone to access information regarding every aspect of the materials used to manufacture the piece.
In the coming years, European Union legislation is set to transform the furniture industry. By 2030, products sold in the EU must possess a digital passport, promoting traceability and circular economy practices.
Preparing for that future, a Danish-based startup, MiCollect, is developing a technology that will enable manufacturers to ensure every piece of furniture and its constituent parts are fully traceable throughout their life and bring this data to consumers in a user-friendly format.
“The benefits of traceability are essential to creating a circular economy model, meaning products can be refurbished, repaired, reused, resold or recycled,” explains Morten Lund Petersen, Sustainability Manager at Fritz Hansen. “With traceable products, consumers can see exactly where any piece of furniture came from; they will know what to do and who to contact if a spare part is needed or if they wish to prove the authenticity of a piece for resale.”
In a pilot project for Fritz Hansen and MiCollect, the two companies produced Egg ™, Swan™ and Oxford™ chairs using fully traceable and biodegradable Nordic leather from SPOOR, backed up by ESG data. From SPOOR’s perspective, Birgitte Holgaard Langer, Business Development Director states that “traceability, ESG data and documentation are needed in order to claim responsibly sourced materials and transparency.” All of SPOOR's data and documentation follow each piece of traceable leather they produce, fitting in seamlessly with a digital product passport.
Co-founder at MiCollect, Merete Skov Pedersen, emphasises the app's potential to influence consumer behaviour positively: "Empowering users with knowledge, MiCollect instils a sense of responsibility and accountability, fostering positive change throughout the industry."
Read more and see the digital passport here:
Danish Crown (fritzhansen.com)