R-evolve Innovation Camp

The R-evolve Project

R-evolve is a project funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe programme, created with the goal of providing structured and integrated support to the European furniture industry. The project aims to accelerate the transition toward an industrial system based on product and process innovations driven by circularity.

These innovations include:

• business models focused on the Circular Economy (CEBM);
• circular product design;
• the use of sustainable materials;
• the implementation of the Digital Product Passport (DPP).

Nine pilot projects will involve furniture manufacturers, a retailer, a service provider, and their partners across the entire value chain, testing and implementing selected system–product innovations. Based on the results of these pilots, tailored handbooks, guidelines, and training materials will be developed to help companies improve the circularity of their products and processes.

More than 400 companies will be able to assess their circular maturity level, while 50 of them will receive direct consultancy from consortium partners to concretely introduce DPP systems, CEBM, and circular design strategies.

At the same time, a Community of Practice (CoP) will be established to promote collaboration and knowledge sharing among all stakeholders in the sustainable furniture value chain.

The Innovation Camp

The Innovation Camp, held on September 11 in Copenhagen at H15, marked a key milestone in the R-evolve Horizon Europe project, organized by Lifestyle and Design Cluster Denmark.
This three-day event provided a platform for multidisciplinary teams to share knowledge and test new circular design strategies, innovative business models, and DPP prototypes.

The camp opened with a keynote speech by Heidi Svane Pedersen from the Lifestyle and Design Cluster, who emphasized that data should not be seen as a cost, but as a real source of value for companies—creating new opportunities and giving products a voice.

During the event, participants discussed the role of data as a strategic resource and the value of the DPP in increasing transparency and developing new circular business models.
A presentation by Martin Führ - Hochschule Darmstadt highlighted how the DPP is turning sustainable products into the new standard.

Together with experts from the Department of Design – Politecnico di Milano and the University of Florence, participants explored the challenges of adopting DPPs in the furniture sector, focusing on stakeholder engagement strategies and consumer empowerment tools.

Practical workshops allowed participants to analyze product characteristics, disassemble items, and study their materials and structures—encouraging collaboration with partner companies to redesign products for easier disassembly and reassembly.
At the end of the camp, teams presented their insights and design strategies, reinforcing the event’s mission to develop innovative and sustainable solutions for the furniture sector.

The integration of the knowledge gained during the Innovation Camp will guide the development of concrete strategies involving both policy and industry stakeholders. The R-evolve project will continue to promote circular and sustainable practices, focusing on modular solutions and innovative business models that place environmental responsibility at their core—helping reshape the furniture sector and drive the transition toward a more sustainable future.