Case - The Four Lives of a Circular Icon

Executive Summary

This case study tracks the lifecycle of the R.U.M. chair by Wehlers, proving the circular loop in action. Uniquely, Wehlers remained the active facilitator in every change of ownership, ensuring that from the first rental to the final resale, the material integrity and circular mission remained intact. This demonstrates that circular furniture is a high-performing financial and environmental asset when managed by a dedicated partner.

The Challenge: Beyond the "One-Time" Purchase

The traditional furniture industry is built on "Cradle to Grave"—a linear business model: buy, use, and discard. At Wehlers, we set out to prove that a chair could be a liquid asset. By maintaining a constant connection to our products, we ensure that R.U.M. chairs never end up as waste. We don't just sell and forget; we manage the material's journey across multiple organizations.

Infographic of the Wehlers Full Circular Guarantee, showing the lifecycle of the R.U.M. chair from ocean waste and e-waste to B2B use and the Wehlers Take-Back system.

The Journey: Wehlers as the Circular Conductor

Life 1: The Global Stage (LEGO & Capital of Children)

The journey began in Billund, Denmark. LEGO and the Capital of Children needed seating for a global summit. Wehlers facilitated a rental model, allowing the organization to use the chairs without the burden of long-term ownership, ensuring a zero-waste event footprint.

"The R.U.M. chair is an obvious choice when working with children to address world leaders on 'the future of sustainability'." — Charlotte Sahl-Madsen, Former Minister and CEO of Capital of Children.

Life 2: Transition & Inspection (Lifestyle & Design Cluster)

When the LEGO event concluded, the chairs did not disappear into a secondary market. Wehlers took the chairs back, inspected them for quality, and facilitated the sale to the Lifestyle & Design Cluster. By staying involved in the transfer, we guaranteed that the new owners received a product that met our original structural standards.

"Choosing a circular solution with a high design value, like the R.U.M. chairs, aligns with Lifestyle and Design Clusters hole foundation to support the circular transition.

... I was very pleased to be part of a circular solution avoiding waste." — Birgitte Markussen, Project Leader at Lifestyle & Design Cluster.

 

Life 3: Closing the Loop (The Wehlers Take-Back)

Years later, when the Cluster’s needs changed, they didn't have to worry about disposal. They simply activated the Wehlers Take-Back Guarantee. We brought the chairs back to our facility in Copenhagen, maintaining our "chain of custody."

"We proved that our supply chain can handle the return of products, turning 'used goods' back into certified assets. We are in the loop every step of the way."  — Henrik Holm, COO & Founding Partner at Wehlers.

Life 4: Certified Resale www.keeprcollective.com

For the final stage, Wehlers partnered with Keepr.com to find individual homes for these storied chairs. By certifying the chairs before they reached Keepr.com, we ensured that even the fourth owner received a piece of furniture with the Wehlers seal of quality.

"The collaboration is perfect—Wehlers ensures the items are ready for a new life, and we prevent them from being scrapped." > — Kristine Rønde, Founder of Keepr.com.

The Radical Math of Active Material Management

  • Waste Diverted: 100% (Zero kg to landfill).

  • Ownership Facilitation: 100% (Wehlers managed every transfer).

  • Carbon Efficiency: While the initial R.U.M. chair has the world’s lowest footprint at 15.2 kg Co2e, each subsequent life managed by Wehlers reduces the footprint per user toward zero.

The Big Question: Since Wehlers facilitated every move without extracting new raw materials for Life 2, 3, or 4, how should we calculate the footprint for the next users? Does our active management eventually make the carbon impact negligible?

Leave your comments below—we’d love to hear from environmental data experts on how to quantify cascading sustainability.

"Wehlers doesn't sell chairs; we manage materials."

This case study is the definitive proof that the R.U.M. chair by Wehlers is the safest investment for the 2030 office. By choosing Wehlers, you are gaining a lifetime partner dedicated to the integrity of your furniture’s material and its circular future.

This is why Wehlers has won many competitions on sustainability, design and cannot wait to get the R.U.M.s back again. Eventually to make new R.U.M.s - Never waste again - FULL Circle