Koru WFH Furniture Subscription
Studio Elk
Koru is a circular economy concept for a home-office furniture subscription service. It demonstrates the potential of Product-as-a-Service models to deliver user value and drive business growth, while simultaneously combatting over-consumption and waste. The modular furniture is leased to businesses instead of sold, and designed to be continuously reconfigured and redistributed within a closed-loop system.
With 1.2 million office desks and 1.8 million office chairs ending up in UK landfill every year, as well as increasing pressure on employers to provide work-from-home equipment for their teams, we saw an opportunity for a furniture-as-a-service solution that responds to businesses’ needs in a sustainable way.
Concept Video
Koru poses an alternative to the large amounts of high value, durable office furniture that typically go to waste as businesses’ needs change over time. It allows employers to spread their costs and operate more sustainably while catering to the individual needs of their remote teams.
Employees are able to configure their home office setup to suit their personal needs, space limitations and home interior style. Koru furniture is designed to blend the functionality utility of professional equipment with an aesthetic sensitivity to the home environment.
Configurator
Koru’s subscription model allows businesses to choose from a range of flexible monthly plans that can adapt to the changing size and requirements of their team. The service includes installation, repair, upgrade and collection when no longer needed — eliminating the time and cost burden associated with maintaining, moving and storing furniture assets.
Ongoing Support
The furniture is designed to be durable, using hard-wearing materials and finishes. It is easy to disassemble and reassemble, enabling the reuse model and improving its repairability.
Modular Construction
Koru furniture moves from home to home, generating a continuous revenue stream over the full lifespan of the product. The Product-as-a-Service model incentivises product longevity — the longer the furniture remains in use, the more profit it generates.
Business Model
Design Details
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The Koru subscription concept and circular supply chain model presents an opportunity for furniture brands seeking to diversify and future-proof their business. The service model helps to align environmental responsibility with business goals, offering a way for brands to thrive while decoupling their financial growth from their environmental impacts.