Sustainability
A CORE VALUE WOVEN INTO SIKA-DESIGN’S HISTORY
Since 1942, the natural material rattan has been the cornerstone of Sika-Design. Our mission is to produce furniture from materials that have the least possible impact on the environment, and that our customers can, and want to keep, for many years. Sustainability is therefore woven into our DNA, and green transitioning has become a fixed focal point at Sika-Design.
Consideration for the environment affects which items are put into production, our choice of materials, how they are processed, and how the furniture is packaged and transported. Collections and products have been retired when we have felt that we could not meet our new sustainability standard.
We have always been dedicated to these ideals and have worked systematically with them since 2013. Therefore, together with our sister company, we were the first furniture companies in Denmark to obtain an ISO14001 certification.
Materials, manufacturing & recyclability
Our highest priority is to manufacture quality furniture that can last for generations and eliminate the need for frequent replacements. Because of this philosophy, the materials that we use in the production of every item are required to be durable and strong.
We focus on ensuring that the materials we use are recyclable, and that the furniture we produce can be taken apart after use and sorted into clean recyclable materials.
Read about the materials below
Rattan
Rattan is a natural material that grows like lianas around the trees in the Indonesian rainforest. Here, rattan absorbs CO2 and produces up to 35% more oxygen than ordinary trees. Rattan is extremely fast-growing - it regenerates within 5 to 7 years. Rattan is solid and very durable in contrast to hollow bamboo, with which it is often confused.
Rattan is harvested by hand and after steaming for 10-15 minutes, rattan can be shaped by hand using traditional manufacturing techniques and a few simple tools. In our production, rattan waste is used as fuel in the steam ovens.
Rattan is biodegradable and can be disposed of without harming the environment. However, since rattan is virtually impossible to wear out, our furniture last for generations and can often be found at auctions and flea markets. Rattan can be stained and varnished. We only use toxin-free varnish.
Aluminum
Aluminum is a maintenance-free material with a very long life span. It has excellent corrosion resistance, which make it ideal for outdoor use. Aluminum is a flexible and durable material. The aluminum frames for our outdoor furniture are shaped by hand using simple tools.
The aluminum we use is partly recycled, and aluminum waste from our production is further sold back to the supplier who recycles the scraps. Aluminum can be recycled an infinite number of times without quality deterioration. Therefore 75% of all aluminum produced is still in use.
ArtFibre
ArtFibre is an artificial, maintenance-free fiber used for outdoor wicker products. The fiber is made from polyethylene. This is a type of plastic that is both flexible and durable. ArtFibre withstands water, UV radiation and temperatures from -50 degrees to +80 degrees. This material ensures that our furniture can be used outdoors for many years.
We produce ArtFibre from virgin plastic made from polyethylene. This means that it is new plastic. We collect and recycle all residues during the production itself, as these can be melted and recycled.
In the product's afterlife, the plastic is easy to recycle as the material retains its properties. A rule of thumb is that new plastic can be reused 8 times. It is not yet possible to produce ArtFibre from recycled plastic that meets our durability requirements. This is something we hope to be able to offer in the future.
Teak
Teak is known for its high strength and durability. Due to the natural oil content, the wood is very resistant to conditions such as wind, insects, and rot. All our teak products are labeled with "Indonesian Legal Wood" which ensures that the wood has been sourced responsibly and can be traced back to the original sender at any time.
Our outdoor teak products are made from new teak from plantations overseen by the Indonesian government, ensuring that no tree too immature or too small is harvested.
Our indoor teak products are made from reclaimed teak that appears with repairs and fillings adding a rustic look to the furniture. This teak wood is collected from sources such as old houses, boats, and railways.
In our production, residual materials are collected and used to manufacture smaller teak products. The sawdust is used as firewood in the ovens that dries the wood. Teak can be reused and upcycled into new products.
Foam
The foam in our cushions is of high quality. Our main focus is comfort and durability. Our foam comes from responsible and carefully selected manufacturers who work purposefully to reduce CO2 emissions and eliminate the use of fossil fuels.
Our largest supplier has a stated goal that 50% of the raw materials they use must consist of sustainable materials by 2026.
During production, residual materials are collected, granulated and included in the next batch. Used foam can also be granulated and reused for new foam products.
Textiles
The textiles used for our cushions all have a high martindale, peeling and lightfastness. These properties ensure that our cushions can last for many years.
Our textiles comes from manufacturers who meet a number of standards, such as OEKO-TEX Standard 100 and Reach Regulation. These standards include requirements for the origin of the materials, processing, as well as the use and disposal of chemicals.
Moreover, we work to reduce waste at our own sewing facilities, where fabric residues are made into fabric samples for our retailers when possible. Used textiles can be granulated and recycled.
Our furniture production in Indonesia
We produce all our furniture in Indonesia. We do this because 80% of the world's rattan resources grow in the Indonesian rainforest, and we therefore have the closest possible access to the best raw materials.
The Indonesians are skilled craftsmen and have a unique history and long tradition of weaving beautiful, detailed rattan furniture. Today, both our rattan and aluminum furniture are made by hand using traditional methods and simple tools.
We try hard to avoid any waste in our production. We do so because it makes sense, but also because it is an inevitable part of Indonesian culture. Our Indonesian partners have always taken great pride in recycling every possible scrap or residue from the production.
Our factory, and our partner factories, are regularly audited. For all facilities, we have the same demands: they must be run in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. We do not utilize or partner with factories that cannot meet this standard.
Packaging & transport
We distribute our furniture from the warehouse in Denmark to our European markets by truck. For our large export markets such as Australia, South Africa, South America and the USA, we ship directly by ship from Indonesia to the individual markets. This way we avoid additional transportation to and from Denmark. By shipping direct, we are able to reduce transport time as well as our carbon footprint.
Our Indonesian partners are incredibly creative in terms of how a container can be packed, and there is absolutely no wasted space. Many of our dining table chairs are stackable and can be packed very space-efficiently. Few items are in cardboard boxes. The boxes are adapted to fit the individual piece of furniture in order to save space and material.
For packaging, we mainly use cardboard, paper and plastic. All of which can be recycled after use. We continuously improve our packaging in a more environmentally friendly direction. This has, among other things, led us to us to replace flamingo with cellular cardboard. However, our primary focus is to ensure a high-quality packaging to avoid any transport damage and thus double the transport.
Repair videos: Prolonging the lifespan of our furniture
In the lifecycle of our furniture, we work towards “slowing the loop” by prolonging their lifespan. To do this, we have repair videos available enabling our customers to do simple repairs themselves. Our furniture is virtually impossible to wear out, we therefore hope that these cosmetic repairs can prolong the enjoyment of our furniture and delay the need for replacement. We also offer repairs in our in-house repair department but by enabling our customers to do the repairs themselves we avoid unnecessary transportation of the furniture. The repair videos are found here.
At a time when widespread planned obsolescence is playing such a catastrophic role in the degradation of our planet, this is our way of counteracting this development.
Our headquarters
In 2012 we were the first furniture company in Denmark along side with our sister Company Cane-Line to achieve an ISO14001 certification and a SA8000 certification (now replaced by SMETA). The green transition is a continuous process in our company.
With our ISO14001 certification, we have committed ourselves to a sustainable and responsible environmental policy, and an ongoing promise to develop and improve our conditions. In this process, we involve employees from administration, production and the warehouse via workshops and joint meetings.
For many years, we have worked consistently on reducing our energy consumption. In 2013, we halved our consumption, and have managed to maintain the level ever since. As part of this, we heat up our offices with excess heat from the production facilities of a company next door.
We have worked with meticulous waste sorting for more than 10 years now. Something that fortunately is a reality for everyone today. The majority of our waste is cardboard, plastic and metal. This can all be recycled, so we find waste sorting to be a very welcome development.
Social responsibility
At our headquarters, our staff consists of a wonderful mix of full-time employees, part-time employees, people with reduced work capacity, and interns. It has always been important for us to take a social responsibility and contribute to people's development. This includes upskilling, job clarification and part-time employment. This benefits both the society, the individual employee, and our workplace.
We are proudly SMETA-certified and have worked systematically with social responsibility since 2013. This focus includes, among other things, the safety and health of our employees. This has led to a number of improvements such as a clear marking of the work areas of the machines in our warehouse, more ventilation in our production areas and training of employee representatives in ergonomic working positions.
A SMETA certification does not as such have an expiry date. However, we have chosen to be re-certified every two years to ensure the high quality of our working environment and stay updated on possible improvements. Our certification also sets requirements for our production in Indonesia and Lithuania who are also obliged to ensure proper working conditions.
Read more about our certifications and commitments below.
