Icons of Denmark | Sustaining Sales
Company: Icons of Denmark
Industry: Furniture design
Location: UK
Type: B2B
Platform: Adobe Suite (Photoshop, InDesign), Wordpress
Project skills:
Project management, Policy creation, Research, Brand Identity, Content Creation, Copywriting
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Industry: Furniture design
Location: UK
Type: B2B
Platform: Adobe Suite (Photoshop, InDesign), Wordpress
Project skills:
Project management, Policy creation, Research, Brand Identity, Content Creation, Copywriting
Project:
Branding, Policy Management, Project Management, Document Redesign, Press Releases
About:
Icons of Denmark are a furniture company based in Clerkenwell, London's eponymous design district. They work closely with a considered circle of talented designers and craftsmen who hold a deep fascination for refined beauty, natural materials and functional design that the Danes pride themselves upon.
When I first started working with them, they lacked any form of sustainability information for their products. This was costing them projects and access to a broader client-base as many of the world's largest commercial projects required environmental data.
Process:
After consulting with several environmental project leaders, I found that the first step was to create a sustainability policy that outlined our vision and objectives. Collaborating with the management team, we defined annual measures and long-term objectives to ensure we reached our targets.
We created a circular design methodology that encompassed environmental design at the different stages of product creation. This proposition included using low-VOC content (volatile organic compounds, or toxic air particles) in our paints and woods. We reviewed how the company sourced wood and aimed for FSC-certified timber across the various supply chains.
A significant challenge was our plastic usage as many of the products use single-use plastics in their packaging. Liaising with Icons’ partners, we pushed to use recycled polyethene and recycled cardboard for packaging and also provide a take-back service following product installation. The Icons’ headquarters and showroom are also aiming to phase out single-use plastic purchasing by 2020.
Outcomes:
All of this information was documented within the 2019 Sustainability Policy. We also collated the report in each product’s datasheet (within an EPD, or environmental product declaration). Our supply partners also provided material breakdowns, allowing consumers to understand the recycled/recyclable content in each of our products. This was communicated to our audiences across social media, newsletters and has become integrated into sales presentations.
Branding, Policy Management, Project Management, Document Redesign, Press Releases
About:
Icons of Denmark are a furniture company based in Clerkenwell, London's eponymous design district. They work closely with a considered circle of talented designers and craftsmen who hold a deep fascination for refined beauty, natural materials and functional design that the Danes pride themselves upon.
When I first started working with them, they lacked any form of sustainability information for their products. This was costing them projects and access to a broader client-base as many of the world's largest commercial projects required environmental data.
Process:
After consulting with several environmental project leaders, I found that the first step was to create a sustainability policy that outlined our vision and objectives. Collaborating with the management team, we defined annual measures and long-term objectives to ensure we reached our targets.
We created a circular design methodology that encompassed environmental design at the different stages of product creation. This proposition included using low-VOC content (volatile organic compounds, or toxic air particles) in our paints and woods. We reviewed how the company sourced wood and aimed for FSC-certified timber across the various supply chains.
A significant challenge was our plastic usage as many of the products use single-use plastics in their packaging. Liaising with Icons’ partners, we pushed to use recycled polyethene and recycled cardboard for packaging and also provide a take-back service following product installation. The Icons’ headquarters and showroom are also aiming to phase out single-use plastic purchasing by 2020.
Outcomes:
All of this information was documented within the 2019 Sustainability Policy. We also collated the report in each product’s datasheet (within an EPD, or environmental product declaration). Our supply partners also provided material breakdowns, allowing consumers to understand the recycled/recyclable content in each of our products. This was communicated to our audiences across social media, newsletters and has become integrated into sales presentations.