Sustainable luxury

“As a company, we are obviously implementing electric driving, installing solar panels - as is the case with the roof of ‘The Glasshouse’, our recently opened showroom - and recycling materials. But there are two things we have focused on that are even more important. We use a lot of teak in our furniture. In 2011, we set up a 200-hectare plantation, planting more than 250,000 teak trees over a three-year period. Since then, these trees have grown considerably, ensuring that future generations will be able to harvest the timber. In the long term, we will thus be giving back more to the planet than we ever consumed. All too often, manufacturers tend to focus on recyclability instead of on a product’s lifespan. Yes, the base materials we use for our products are 99% recyclable. But the lifetime of our products is even more important. If you have ever bought furniture from Royal Botania, you know that you can have it repaired if necessary. We are able to offer this service because we have our own in-house production, which allows us to reproduce any component. Over the years, a lot of furniture has been returned to our factory for repairs so it can have a second life.”

“Obviously, there are trends you can’t ignore, like materials, for example. We started out as a manufacturer of wooden furniture. Over time, we evolved towards stainless steel, aluminium, and even woven furniture. Current trends include upholstery, use of woven rope and softer materials. Angular shapes are making way for more organic ones. Over the years, we have been quite avant-garde. We were the first brand to combine teak and aluminium and also the first to work with stainless steel and pair these materials with Batyline and wood. In that sense, we have often paved the way in terms of new materials and trends. In the following years, we want to add more colour to our range. For now, we are hoping for some sunshine to fuel spring fever. Because when people go outside, is when we do our best business.”