Sustainability at the Salone del Mobile.Milano 2023

Text by

Tanja Viganò

From stands to product news. Sustainability at the center of the 61st edition with themes such as reuse, circularity and virtuous practices

The Salone del Mobile.Milano 2023 returns to showcase sustainability and addresses the theme in a transversal way. Reuse, regeneration, circularity and energy saving are at the heart of the event, but attention is also paid to the sources of materials, new installations that can be dismantled and reused, innovative production methods and products designed with a circular approach. 

All-round sustainability

The 61st edition is planet-centric and reveals the commitment displayed by the organizers, with sustainability certifications such as ISO 20121 and compliance with the United Nations Global Compact, as well as by the exhibitors. Goodbye to monumental stands with a short life cycle. The new installations are lightweight, modular and reusable, made from wood and recycled cardboard. LAGO reuses the Good House, a multi-year stand presented in 2022, which reduces CO2 emissions by up to 87%, while Pedrali – a firm that has always been sensitive to the theme of sustainability – stages #PedraliBacktoNature, an installation made with raw materials that can be easily dismantled. The Gandia Blasco group uses recyclable and sound-absorbing cork and fabrics selected on the principles of sustainability and geographical proximity. 

The key word: recycling

Recycled and reusable materials are at the heart of product innovations. An origami set-up showcases the nature of the VentiTre walk-in closet by Lema in 100% recycled wood and easy to dismantle and the Soffio seating system with recycled fiber padding. Arper presents the Aava 02 chair in post-consumer recycled polypropylene combined with virgin material and Caimi uses nylon waste - such as fishing nets - to create the first ECONYL® fabric that can be endlessly regenerated. 

For many companies, however, the concept of sustainability has a broader meaning. This is the case with Porro, which cares for the environment and uses only selected raw materials, minimizing waste and consumption, but it also cares for people, with workplaces surrounded by greenery and windows to work with natural light.

Nature at the heart of the project

2023 sees the return of natural raw materials such as cotton, wool, and jute, wood, and paper, locally sourced and processed with craft techniques. A virtuous example is Woodnotes, which chooses materials from the harsh Finnish natural environment and processes them by combining traditional techniques and advanced technologies, obtaining paper yarns interpreted in a contemporary key. The Prato-based firm The House of Lyria, which this year unveils a family of sofas and armchairs designed by Federico Pazienza, uses natural fibers and dyes them with colors derived from organic sources such as coffee, tea, or ash.