Circular furniture – how it can be done

In connection with the EU project CircularPP, which is about circular public procurement, SOECO and Aalborg Municipality attended a meeting in Malmö. Here, the project’s partner was presented to Malmö Municipality’s new procurement agreement for “not new office furniture”. Afterwards the Municipality of Malmö has signed a cooperation agreement with SOECO.

SOECO is a Swedish company that buys used high quality furniture and refurbishes it to sell or rent it again. In addition to furniture, the company also offers interior design solutions, washing of furniture, carpets, lamps, etc. as well as transport, delivery and assembly.

For example, old IKEA furniture is brought to life and sold for more than the original price, old cabinet doors are used for new countertops on modern coffee tables and the Danish classic design furniture such as Arne Jacobsen is refurbished and upholstered so that they are almost more beautiful than when they were brand new back in 1950’s.

The company has an average growth rate of 35% per year since they started in 2012, and today have 32 employees. SOECO states that around 90% of customers come again and their name is gradually known throughout Europe.

The name, SOECO, is a composition of Social and Ecological responsibility. The name says a lot about what is the focus of the company. It is ecological by thinking about recycling and refurbishing existing used furniture and other furniture. The social aspect the company has, by allowing 3% of the profits to go to charity to support local causes but also schools in Africa.

The company is constantly evolving, and their business model is among other things ISO9001 and ISO14001 certified as well as continue to develop sharing and circular economics among many opportunities.

Left: Ikea chair produced in the period 1995 – 2000 and in 1995 cost 120 Euro. Right: upholstered with Swedish ELMO skins, which is the most environmentally friendly digging of skins and sold for 600 Euro.