Sitting Green With Keep

Bianca Foley

Keep, a new sofa brand with a bold mission to combat fast furniture, distinguishes itself from traditional furniture brands through a multifaceted approach to sustainability. Co-founders, James Rubin-Smith and Rob Hudson are on a mission to help people love their sofas for longer, who met when they worked together at Made.com, draw from over 25 years of combined experience in furniture retail. They’ve witnessed firsthand the detrimental effects of fast furniture and the limitations of standard production methods on a sofa’s end-of-life journey.

Their commitment to sustainability extends beyond using recycled materials in sofa fabrics. They aim for longevity and offer modular designs with replaceable covers and interiors, encouraging customers to keep their sofas for longer. “We see quite a few brands focusing on recycled content within their sofa fabrics, but we are trying to think much more broadly about sustainability across the total life cycle of a sofa,” they explain.

Preorder your Keep sofa now
 

In terms of materials and manufacturing processes, Keep prioritises local production in the UK and sourcing components from UK manufacturers when feasible. “We’re committed to focusing our production at home in the UK,” they affirm. Their sofas are made in North Wales, and they utilise materials like Spinks pocket sprung bases and Ultraflex foam replacement from Yorkshire.

The design of their sofas facilitates easy renewability, with replaceable covers and interiors. “The first and most important thing that we are doing to ensure our sofas are sustainable and contributing to reducing waste is ensuring longevity,” they emphasise. Their stain-resistant sofa covers, being staple-free, are easily reupholstered by qualified experts. Modular designs and durable materials enhance adaptability and longevity, addressing wear and tear concerns.

Keep’s ethos revolves around encouraging consumers to embrace a more mindful approach to furniture consumption. “Our whole ethos is built around our tagline ‘love your sofa for longer’,” they stress. They aim to educate consumers about the impact of fast furniture and advocate for timeless choices. Instead of encouraging repeat purchases, they prioritise supporting customers in prolonging the lifespan of their sofas.

Co-founders James Rubin-Smith and Rob Hudson, formerly M&S and MADE.com, are combining thoughtful, timeless designs with conscious materials to create sofas that are built to last longer.

Acknowledging the environmental impact of discarded sofas, Keep addresses the end-of-life phase by designing sofas that are easy to disassemble and theoretically 100% recyclable or reusable. While current recycling infrastructure in the UK is limited, they focus on longevity to create sofas that could last a lifetime. Partnering with organizations like the British Heart Foundation, they promote rehoming old sofas as a sustainable alternative to disposal.

In terms of collaboration within the furniture industry, Keep advocates for supply chain transparency and encourages other brands to make conscious choices throughout the product lifecycle. They aim to foster a community of sustainability-focused brands and support each other in driving industry-wide change. “We proudly support manufacturers based in the UK where possible, who share our values on producing more sustainable products which are built to last,” they affirm, signalling their commitment to collaborative efforts in promoting sustainability.

 

Keep sofas are available to pre-order now at keepsofa.com from £2,400 for a modular 2-piece

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