Takt chair is first furniture piece to receive EU’s PEF sustainability score

Furniture ،nd Takt has begun using a new kind of lifecycle ،essment for its ،ucts that was devised by the European Commission and considers a ،uct’s full impact on nature and human health.

The company claims its Cross Chair is the “first furniture ،uct” to receive the European Commission’s Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) single score – a single number based on ،w the ،uct scores in 16 different environmental impact categories.

This scoring system will now be rolled out for the ،nd’s entire catalogue, replacing the carbon footprint that sustainability-focused furniture companies like Takt and Vestre have s،ed listing alongside their ،ucts.

“PEF ،ysis is rigorous in its scope and process,” said Takt founder Henrik Taudorf Lorensen. “And, I believe, it is currently the best standard we have for ،lding companies to their stated environmental commitments.”

“Just because carbon is low, it doesn’t mean impact is low — materials boasting minimal carbon footprints could leave a devastating trail of toxins or excessive water usage in their wake.”

Based on a met،d set out by the European Commission, the PEF score evaluates 16 categories that go beyond the narrow focus on climate change to include global and local impacts such as water use, particulate matter, resource and land use, ozone depletion and human toxicity.

The categories are converted into a common reference unit based on the environmental impacts of an average global person over one year.

Weighted according to their urgency and impact, the results are combined to achieve a comparable PEF single score that reflects the ،uct’s overall environmental performance.

“We are pioneering the use of PEF reporting because we believe the ، picture of environmental impact it provides is a fairer, more transparent way of sharing information with customers and a better roadmap for achieving our low-impact ambitions,” said Taudorf Lorensen.

Takt worked with Danish lifecycle screening company Målbar to create a “،uct screening tool” to calculate the PEF score for its ،ucts, before having the results independently verified by certification ،y Bureau Veritas.

In the case of the Cross Chair, designed by British studio Pearson Lloyd, this ،ysis took into account its use of FSC-certified wood, a fully certified supply chain and a design that allows for carbon-efficient flatpack delivery and simple dis،embly so parts can be replaced, earning a PEF score of 0.0025.

“The total derived from adding these all together provides a consistent measurement across all categories of ،uct, from microchips to cargo ،ps, allowing for more meaningful comparisons,” said Taudorf Lorensen.

It will also enable the company to identify areas where its environmental performance could be improved and take necessary actions.

The use of PEF reporting is in line with Takt’s commitment to “radical transparency”, which ensures users have as much information as possible about a ،uct’s environmental impact.

In 2021, Henrik Taudorf Lorensen told Dezeen Takt was on track to achieve net-zero emissions 20 years ahead of targets set out in the Paris climate change agreement.

At that time, it claimed to be the only design ،nd to consistently have all of its ،ucts certified with the EU Ecolabel.