The furniture sector is at a crossroads: the obligation to comply with the Ecodesign Regulation for Sustainable Products (ESPR) requires a radical change in the way products are designed. It is not just a question of recycling better, but of designing in a way that facilitates circularity from the earliest stages. In addition, the challenge will also be to integrate Ecodesign with the Digital Product Passport (DPP) requirement.
We have structured the transition process for R&D and Design teams into four strategic phases that transform regulatory compliance into a performance advantage.
The initial challenge: Connecting design and data
The design team often faces the difficulty of quantifying the impact of its material choices. Circularity data is scattered, unverified and difficult to integrate into the CAD/PLM workflow. To achieve an effective DPP, traceability must start at the initial stage of the project.
Using a centralised platform for ecodesign, such as CircularTool, allows you to overcome fragmentation and implement an ESPR-proof process.
Phase 1: Material analysis and circular choice
Objective: Maximise circular material content without compromising performance and costs.
CircularTool provides the team with access to a verified Material Library that instantly compares the circularity of different alternatives. It is possible to simulate the percentage increase in recycled content for each component, ensuring that environmental claims already comply with ISO 14021, 59020 and 59040 standards.
Phase 2: Design for disassembly and repairability
Objective: Design for separation. A product is ‘circular’ if its components can be easily separated and recovered at the end of its life (for a better recycling rate). Review assembly techniques, trying to avoid irreversible welding and gluing with mechanical, modular and standardised joints.
CircularTool guides the analysis of disassembly and repairability, providing immediate and quantifiable feedback on how each change (e.g. a different type of screw) impacts the final material recovery rate. This anticipates the repairability requirements of the ESPR.
Phase 3: Quantification and optimisation of circularity
Calculate the circularity performance of the product and all KPIs required by the regulation, transforming design choices into measurable data. This must be done considering all stages of the life cycle and, in particular, actual recycling as opposed to potential recycling.
CircularTool helps designers compare different redesign scenarios (e.g., V1 vs. V2) to identify the optimal solution that maximises circularity indices.
Phase 4: Preparing data for the Digital Product Passport (DPP)
Collect and structure all circularity data generated for the DPP to ensure data traceability and immutability throughout the entire value chain and life cycle.
With CircularTool, all data (material origin, disassembly, repair instructions, circularity index, etc.) is centralised and verified within the platform. This creates a data set that is ready to be exported and linked to the DPP, making compliance a smooth and scalable process.
Conclusion: A measurable competitive advantage
The integration of data-driven ecodesign is not just a compliance cost, but an investment that ensures operational resilience and market positioning in the post-ESPR era. Companies that measure today will have a decisive advantage tomorrow.
Measure and transform your product with our comparison scenarios.
Request a meeting to learn how CircularTool works for your R&D team.