The Swedish designer and creative director Emma Olbers is on a mission – to design good products. Products that are good from all aspects, including being good for our planet. As one of the Swedish pioneers in sustainable design she is renowned as one of the furniture industry’s climate crusaders, an effort for which she has been awarded several prestigious awards.
”I believe that sustainability and product lifecycles are key concerns and core values that I strives to incorporate in my work. Those concerns can translate into using recyclable and reusable components, thinking carefully of which materials to use and of course avoiding the use of harmful substances in production altogether. An ultimate vision is to be able to create products and furniture that, after a long and rich furniture life, can go directly on the compost heap when they are scrapped”, she explains.
Where does it come from?
Born and raised in the Swedish countryside, Emma has a close connection to the agricultural tradition and the connection between natural resources and our everyday lives.
”I’ve always been environmental aware, but after attending a sustainability course at the Sustainable Fashion Academy in 2008, my commitment increased, and I started to work methodically in all my projects. It has been kind of a knowledge journey, trying to figure out facts and learning along the way. Concentration and determination needed”, she concludes.
In 2015, while preparing the exhibition, ”Where does it come from, where does it go”, Emma decided to explore the different materials she is working with.
”It was planned as a trend exhibition, but I saw the possibility to share knowledge about how good furniture can contribute to sustainability and a better environment. I decided to team up with the Swedish Environmental Research Institute, IVL, and they helped me to do a life cycle analysis on the materials in my toolbox and to calculate and rank them according to their emissions of CO2e/kg material.”
While working with the exhibition, Emma learned that the most important we can do for the climate is to keep the carbon dioxide equivalents low. She decided to commit to the UN Paris Climate Summit’s goal to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C in her future work.
Bamboo lighting
”I discovered that certain wood, like birch and other leaf trees, had a less environmental impact. And bamboo, for example, turned out to be a positive material. When designing new products, I strive to use this knowledge, choosing materials that help minimize the furniture’s CO2 footprint. If I have to work with a material with a not so positive ranking, I make sure to use a very small amount. Actually, minimizing the quantity of material is important, no matter what kind of material you work with.”
Compared to lighting – where a great part of the environmental impact is related to the luminaire’s energy consumption while lit, furniture has its greatest environmental impact at the beginning and at the end of its lifespan. The choice of material is crucial, Emma states.
”From the perspective of being a designer, choosing the right materials and ensuring thoughtful production play a big part.”
For IKEA, Emma chose to design a new luminaire out of bamboo.
”When it comes to lighting, I think it is easy to just focus on the energy consumption, but of course, the body material also has a great impact. New technology also opens up for new ways to design lighting – not only regarding energy efficiency, but also when it comes to materials and production processes.”
"I’ve always been backed by my customers and architects – now I experience that we also get more feedback from consumers. There is definitely a new awareness in the society." Emma Olbers, desginer and creative director
A national heritage
Emma’s methodology has also characterized one of her latest projects; redesigning the old library at the newly refurbished Swedish National Museum. A national heritage that now has been carefully refined with Emma’s contemporary Scandinavian design. Sustainability has run like a red thread throughout the project. Emma chose to use wooden materials with low CO2 footprints for the different chairs, and the seats were produced in fast growing climate positive hemp and seaweed. Carpets were produced in forest-based cellulose.
”As the library is a public environment, I once again had the opportunity to share the knowledge about different materials, their effects on the climate and how different surface treatments can be used to make the materials age beautifully. Using materials such as birch, and hemp and seaweed instead of leather in the seats helped us reduce CO2 emissions 300 times. Considering these chairs have a lifespan of 30 years it really makes a difference.”
Thoughts into action
Over the years Emma has been working with a number of different furniture producers – from multinationals such as IKEA, to small Swedish premium brands. From the start, she has experienced a positive attitude towards her sustainability initiative.
”I’ve always been backed by my customers and architects – now I experience that we also get more feedback from consumers. There is definitely a new awareness in the society and personally I think that there’s been an important change of attitude the last year. The impact of Swedish environmental influencer Greta Thunberg is a great example of this.”
It also seems like people are taking their thoughts into action.
”Buying second hand and mixing old furniture with new is a trend, as is investing in high quality furniture that has a long lifespan and can be inherited by generations. Personally, I love the thought of reusing old quality design furniture, myself I have some really nice 1960’s chairs in my office.”
This kind of long-term thinking can be applied on other industries.
”The fashion industry has started to reinvent itself, developing more sustainable solutions instead of suggesting that the customer should change the entire wardrobe four times a year. Swedish brand Filippa K, for example, has launched a Basics collection with classic basic items that will stand the wear of the eye and the everyday life for several seasons. The garments are produced in recycled or renewable materials.”
What to ask for
As a customer – what’s the most important requirement to set when investing in new interior design?
”No matter furniture or lighting, I think that the first step is to take the question seriously – and as said before, material is the key. When choosing furniture, the material stands for up to 50 percent of the environmental impact – I’d recommend you to take a look at the material index. Look for plant-based material like wood, or for recycled materials. Today many companies share this kind of information on their websites. Choose furniture with sustainable surface treatments that is easy to maintain and make the furniture age with pride. Ask the producer where the product is produced and if the energy used in the production facility is renewable. If there is a life cycle analysis available for the product it is a sign that the producer has made an effort.”
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Fagerhult halves CO₂ emissions – 49% reduction since 2021
Material choices, product innovations, reuse initiatives, and a systematic analytical approach underpin Fagerhult’s reduced climate impact. Over five years, total CO₂ emissions have decreased by 49 per cent – far exceeding the company’s own targets. Using resources wisely has been a cornerstone throughout Fagerhult’s 80-year history, and it continues to shape the business today. Since 2021, this work has gained even sharper focus and direction, with clear carbon-emission targets, long-term plans, and a comprehensive sustainability programme based on life-cycle assessments (LCA).“A reduction of this magnitude in such a short time shows that systematic work truly makes a difference. It is the result of many large – and small – initiatives, where every improvement contributes to the whole,” says Josefin Carlsson, Sustainability Specialist at Fagerhult. Fagerhult's total CO₂ emissions have decreased by 49 per cent compared to 2021 levels. Many initiatives – one shared direction The success is underpinned by a series of strategic decisions in product development and processes. The work has been carried out across several parallel tracks, following the principle many small streams together create significant impact.“Innovation and sustainable solutions make a real difference for our customers and reduce emissions across the entire value chain – not just in our own production,” adds Josefin Carlsson. Josefin Carlsson, Sustainability Specialist at Fagerhult, Habo. The greatest impact is in the use phase, where emissions since 2021 have been steadily reduced by around 200,000 tonnes of CO₂e – a 49 per cent decrease. At the same time, emissions in Scope 1 and 2 have been reduced by 60 per cent compared with the base year. Sustainability in practice A decisive factor behind this progress is the many parallel initiatives, with material choices playing a central role.Since 2025, the majority of luminaires with housings made from extruded aluminium profiles contain up to 75 per cent recycled material. This contributes to an annual climate saving of approximately 225 tonnes of CO₂e.In 2025, Fagerhult reused more than one hundred luminaires per working day through the ReLight initiative. By upgrading existing luminaires with new technology and extending their life cycle, the climate impact from materials and production is significantly reduced. In total, more than 50,000 products have been given a new lease of life through reuse.Product development is also a key driver of the transition, and several innovations have both reduced climate impact and increased energy efficiency: Multilume Re:Think has reduced Scope 3 emissions by over 320 tonnes of CO₂e through smart design and environmentally sustainable material choices since its launch in 2021. This is equivalent to planting and growing 1,300 trees for ten years. Twin Dual Driver has reduced the climate impact of control gear by 49 per cent through more efficient electronics and improved material composition. Wrapped’s Solid Board housing has up to 89 per cent lower climate impact per kilogram compared with virgin aluminium. Gallery - products At the same time, more than one in ten luminaires sold today includes an integrated sensor, helping to reduce energy consumption during operation. A key factor behind the success is the long-term, fact-based approach.“Based on life cycle assessments, we have identified where and when climate impact occurs – and which actions have the greatest impact. We’re now carrying that knowledge forward in our continued efforts to further reduce our climate impact,” concludes Josefin Carlsson.
Fagerhult is switching LEDs to reduce its climate impact
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