Designer Story
Aaron Clarkson, Senior Product Designer, picks up the story…
Our pioneering new product is built with one bold ambition – to remove furniture from landfill.
Lucy is everything you would expect from Boss Design: curvaceous, organic in form, beautifully tailored and sumptuously comfortable. But beneath her sculptural exterior lies something far more radical – engineering designed to transform the lifecycle of upholstered furniture.
Designed for renewal, not replacement
In the world of commercial interiors, fabric is often the first element to fail. Once upholstery reaches the end of its life, the entire piece is typically discarded, sent to landfill or incineration even when the structure beneath is perfectly sound.
We do offer a re-upholstery service through our renew programme, but the reality is this – many clients choose replacement over repair. It’s quicker, simpler and – too often – it’s wasteful. Lucy changes that equation entirely.
Re-upholstery without removal
Lucy was engineered so re-upholstery can happen in situ, without the furniture ever leaving the building.
Imagine a 24/7 lounge such as those operated by British Airways. Removing furniture from these high-security, high-traffic spaces is disruptive and complex: access through security is time-consuming, transport is labour-intensive and lounges may even need to close temporarily. All of this carries a significant carbon footprint. Lucy eliminates these challenges.
Her cover is completely removable, no tools required. In minutes, quietly and cleanly, she can be re-upholstered on site. No downtime, no transport, and no disruption. The old covers can then be recycled into new textile fibres, extending their value rather than ending their life. The furniture remains in situ, the space stays open and the product has a new lease of life.
Inspired by the outdoors
The idea came from an unexpected place; boating equipment. In sailing, elastic bungee and rope systems allow fabric to flex, adapt and be tensioned with ease. Sails are temporarily tied off to adjust to the wind; secure, but adaptable. Lucy uses the same principle.
Her upholstery is secured beneath the seat using a bungee cord system, working much like a drawstring bag. The fabric is tensioned evenly around the form, then clamped discreetly into place. The result is a tailored, seamless finish, but one that can be released and replaced effortlessly. It’s simple, intuitive and it fundamentally rethinks how upholstery can function.
Engineered for circularity
Lucy’s sustainability story goes far beyond her removable cover. She is constructed from:
- Bio-Pur® foam, which produces up to 70% less carbon than traditional foam
- A fully recyclable internal steel frame
- FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified plywood from responsibly managed forests
- Minimal bolt fixings for straightforward disassembly
We deliberately reduced the number of materials used, ensuring that at the very end of Lucy’s life, each component can be easily separated and recycled. The foam can be repurposed into carpet underlay or new upholstery foam. The steel returns to the recycling stream. The timber is responsibly sourced and recoverable. Nothing complicated and unnecessary.
A new way forward
Lucy isn’t just a chair; she’s a shift in thinking. She challenges the assumption that upholstered furniture is disposable. She removes the friction from doing the right thing. She reduces carbon, disruption and waste, while delivering the comfort and beauty our clients expect.
Sustainable design isn’t just about materials. It’s about systems. It’s about foresight. It’s about designing products that anticipate their own renewal. Lucy was built for exactly that.
