Leasing models we traditionally associate with the automotive industry where the customer uses the end product but does not become the owner of them. The Sintese Eco sofa from the Indera collection is the first seat of furniture manufacturer Mecam that can be leased just like a car. Maintenance and repair of the Sintese Eco are part of the lease’s service package. Also renovation and recycling of the sofa are responsibilities that the Mecam group assumes.
Carl Meers manager, founder and owner of furniture manufacturer Indera therefore has every interest that the Sintese Eco is designed to be easy to repair and recycle. The modular design developed by Studio Segers was adapted in collaboration with the University of Antwerp to fully comply with the Cradle to Cradle design principles. The Sintese can therefore be completely deassembled into its basic components. To do this, we had to reduce the parts from 24 to 5. “It’s quite a challenge, but technically we solved it” says Carl Meers. A reverse logistics system was also set up to enable the deassembly process.
According to Carl Meers, the biggest challenge in the development of a lease model for furniture lies in breaking the norm. “Sofa’s leasing is not yet ingrained in the mindset of many consumers”. In order to market the lease model, Carl focuses primarily on the project market, followed by the private market. Carl’s vision for the future is to offer the entire product range of the Indera collection under the lease model.