Wittenborg Hosts First Fully In-Person Event Since Pandemic Began

09.05.2021

Erasmus+ INFURI First Living Labs Session a Success

On Thursday, 29th April, 2021, Wittenborg hosted its very first in-person event since the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. The event “Living-Labs”, user-centered co-creation session, was organised on behalf of Wittenborg’s Erasmus+ project INFURI. The aim of the session is to spread innovative and sustainable circular business models in the furniture industry contributing to enhance its competitiveness.

Apeldoorn furniture company adopts ‘zero-waste’ approach

The event was co-hosted by the Apeldoorn-based company Brummel, which specialises in the manufacturing of furniture with a “zero-waste” approach. Brummel is a family business, characterised by a huge passion for design, recycling and sustainability. One of its most popular products is Circulock, modular lockers with multiple colours and a modern digital locking system

Sustainability in furniture manufacturing

During the session, led by Wittenborg’s CEO Maggie Feng, EU Project Coordinator Aydan Ismayilova, and Brummel owner Ben Meuleman, participants had an insight into how sustainable processes take place along the furniture manufacturing chain at Brummel’s furniture factory. Materials such as textile fabrics for chairs were made by 100% recycled PET Coca-Cola bottles, and leftovers of wood were repurposed to elaborate smaller wooden objects and accessories. Participants were then divided into groups to work on brainstorming of product ideas for varied target markets, and each group pitched their ideas to conclude the session.

A compact group of people and the adequate social distancing measures made this event a successful restart of the academic events that typify Wittenborg, and there are optimistic expectations for the development of upcoming “Living- lab” sessions, as well as of other types of in-person events.