Bio-based strategy

Arco uses bio-based materials wherever possible, and utilizes them in a responsible way. We are making rapid progress in terms of circularity. We are focussed on closing the materials cycle, particularly in new designs. All the resources and materials that we use are benchmarked against the EU ECO label. And we keep looking for more sustainable alternatives. We make sustainable choices where we can, and are striving to do this more every year.

We love wood

And that is reflected in our furniture. Most of our products are made of wood. And wood is one of the most sustainable materials around. Wood is produced by a tree from the sunlight that falls on its leaves, CO2 - of which we already have too much in the air - and water. As it grows, the tree takes CO2 from the air and uses it to create its wood. As long as it remains in the wood - so also if the wood is used to make a table - the CO2 stays out of the air. Only if the wood rots or is burnt will the CO2 be released back into the air. And that CO2 in turn is used by another tree to grow. When it comes to the circular economy… we love wood.

A 280 cm Base table captures around 149 kg of CO2. That offsets 1252 km of emissions from a mid-class car, or one household’s electricity consumption for one month.

Sustainably managed forests

What is also worth mentioning is that we naturally obtain that wood from sustainably managed forests. Felling trees can actually contribute to maintaining a healthy forest, since felling trees stimulates secondary growth in the forest. Provided that it’s done responsibly, obviously. Trees that have more space catch more light and can therefore grow faster. And a young tree grows faster than a tree that is at the end of its life. And growth means capturing CO2. All the wood that we use in our products is FSC® or PEFC and therefore STIP-certified, which means that it comes from sustainably managed forests.