Johanson Design Sustainability: A Greener Future

Johanson Design has combined Scandinavian furniture design with responsible manufacturing since 1953. Today, the Swedish manufacturer continues to develop its approach to environmental responsibility through in-house production, certified materials, product-level environmental information and a focus on durability, reuse and resource efficiency.

Johanson Design’s Approach to Sustainability

For Johanson Design, sustainability extends beyond individual products. The company describes it as an ongoing process covering materials, manufacturing, transportation, product longevity and the wider environmental impact of its operations.

1. In-House Manufacturing and Environmental Control

Johanson Design places strong emphasis on in-house manufacturing as a way of maintaining control over quality, production and environmental performance. Its production operations include frame manufacturing, metalwork, cutting, sewing, upholstery, and assembly.

Johanson’s sustainability philosophy highlights production in Markaryd, Sweden, together with its manufacturing operations in Kaunas, Lithuania. The company states that its manufacturing facilities operate within an ISO 14001 environmental management framework, supporting the systematic identification, management and reduction of environmental impacts.

This approach also gives Johanson greater control over manufacturing processes and the materials used throughout production.

2. Recognised Sustainability Certifications

Johanson Design uses recognised certifications and standards to provide measurable information about the environmental and social characteristics of its products and manufacturing processes.

• ISO 14001: Johanson Design’s environmental management system is certified to the internationally recognised ISO 14001 standard, supporting a structured approach to environmental improvement.
• Möbelfakta: Möbelfakta assesses furniture against requirements covering quality, environmental responsibility and social responsibility, providing an independent framework for responsible furniture specification.
• EU Ecolabel: Johanson Design’s Pelican and Plus products hold EU Ecolabel certification, demonstrating compliance with demanding environmental criteria across the product life cycle.
• FSC-certified wood: Johanson uses FSC-certified wood to support responsible timber sourcing from appropriately managed forests.

These certifications can provide useful supporting documentation for architects, designers, specifiers and procurement teams assessing furniture for commercial projects.

3. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)

Johanson Design has expanded its use of Environmental Product Declarations to provide transparent, product-specific information about environmental impact.

An EPD is a third-party verified declaration based on life-cycle assessment. It provides information about factors such as carbon emissions, energy use, material composition and other environmental impacts, allowing products to be assessed using documented environmental data rather than general sustainability claims.

Johanson Design now publishes EPDs for a growing number of product families, including Pelican, Plus, Milo, Ester, Opus, Mind, Sputnik, Stay and others. Its published documentation provides product-level environmental information that can support specification and sustainability reporting.

4. Responsible Materials and Resource Efficiency

Material selection is an important part of Johanson Design’s sustainability programme. The company identifies responsibly sourced wood, recycled materials and recyclable components as part of its approach to reducing environmental impact.

Johanson’s published sustainability information also highlights the use of recycled steel, FSC-certified wood, environmentally certified fabrics and the reuse of production waste. Its EPD documentation provides further detail on the material composition and environmental impact of individual products.

This product-level information is particularly useful when specifying furniture as part of a wider commercial sustainability strategy.

5. Durability, Reuse and Circular Furniture

Long product life is another important element of Johanson Design’s approach. Furniture designed for demanding commercial environments must withstand intensive use while retaining the potential for repair, refurbishment, and continued use.

Johanson’s sustainability philosophy emphasises reuse and renovation rather than unnecessary replacement. The company also works to improve the recycling and reuse of production waste and materials at different stages of the product life cycle.

Its current sustainability programme continues to explore circular furniture flows and other ways of extending the useful life of products.

6. Sustainability Beyond the Product

Johanson Design’s environmental work also considers how materials and finished products are transported and how waste is managed during production.

The company has stated that it seeks efficient transportation solutions, including rail and sea freight where appropriate, and works with suppliers to encourage responsible environmental practices. The company reuses production waste where possible and continues to look for ways to improve resource efficiency throughout its operations.

7. Looking Towards the Future

Johanson Design presents sustainability as an ongoing process rather than a fixed achievement. Its current programme includes continued environmental improvements, product-level documentation, circular approaches to furniture and the development of digital product information.

For architects, interior designers and specifiers, this provides increasingly detailed information when assessing Scandinavian furniture for hospitality, workplace, education and other commercial environments.

Johanson Design’s combination of Scandinavian design, commercial durability and documented environmental credentials makes its furniture suitable for projects where sustainability needs to form part of the wider specification process.

View the Johanson Design Furniture Collection.

For help specifying Johanson Design furniture for a commercial project, including product configurations, materials and sustainability documentation, please contact us.