At Salone del Mobile 2025, Arper introduced new developments in its long-standing Catifa collection, underscoring its focus on sustainable material experimentation and process transparency. The presentation included Catifa Carta, now enhanced with the introduction of PaperShell legs – crafted from the same material as the shell and developed with contributions of the Nco2Factory Project* - , as well as Catifa (RE) 46, made entirely from 100% recycled plastic derived from both post-consumer and post-industrial sources.
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Chief Marketing Officer of Arper, Simona Colombo (left) and the Arper booth at this year's Salone (right).
'We introduced two new concepts currently in progress for Catifa Carta,' said Simona Colombo, Chief Marketing Officer at Arper. 'The first is a four-leg base crafted from the same PaperShell material, and the second is the evolution of Catifa 46 into Catifa Carta 46.'
To align performance with environmental goals, Arper also introduced a cushion made from BREATHAIR®, a recyclable elastomeric polyester, on Catifa (RE) 46, integrating material circularity into comfort features.
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Designing end-of-life into product development
The company used the 2025 edition of Salone to foreground its work on product lifecycle impacts, with pyrolysis emerging as a key end-of-life strategy. The shell of Catifa Carta is designed to be processed into biochar through low-temperature pyrolysis, offering what Arper describes as a "carbon-negative" product profile.
'Current LCA and EPD frameworks do not yet account for pyrolysis as an end-of-life scenario,' Colombo explained. 'We have shared our data and calculations with a panel of independent experts…The feedback we received generally validated our approach to biogenic CO₂ and the benefits of pyrolysis, resulting in a carbon footprint of -1,940 kg CO₂ equivalent for the shell alone'.
This move forms part of a wider initiative at Arper to rethink sustainability standards, with the company currently preparing a white paper aimed at demonstrating the positive end-of-life impacts of pyrolysis for Catifa Carta, and how these are not yet captured by current environmental assessment frameworks.
Spatial concept and visitor response
The brand's stand at Salone 2025 was organised around the concept Spaces and Solutions for the Project of Living, designed to interpret fluid, hybrid lifestyles. A central installation using videomapping around Catifa Carta and Catifa (RE) 46 became a focal point of visitor interaction.
'The videomapping installation became the most photographed and shared element of the space,' said Colombo. 'It added a new layer of interaction, enhancing the storytelling and contributing to brand visibility.'
The layout was developed to allow free circulation and to encourage intuitive engagement with the products, an approach aligned with Arper's spatial philosophy. Colombo added, 'We aim to create environments that feel balanced and welcoming, where people can move freely and engage with the products in a thoughtful and meaningful way.'
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Sustainability as a modular and evolving process
'Sustainability is a journey that is alive and constantly evolving,' said Colombo, framing Arper's material strategy as an ongoing process rather than a fixed solution. The brand has formed an internal working group to revisit legacy collections, seeking opportunities like improving disassembly, eliminating glue, and achieving full recyclability.
This process has already informed new developments in 2025, and will also be documented in Arper's third Sustainability Report, to be released later this year.
Fairs, markets and global outreach in 2025
While Europe remains Arper's core market, the company is expanding its reach in North America and Asia. 'The United States represents our key market after Europe,' Colombo said, referencing Arper's three U.S. showrooms and planned participation at Fulton Market in Chicago.
In Europe, Arper recently took part in Clerkenwell Design Week in London and will exhibit at 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen, while Asian market engagement will continue through exhibitions and events in collaboration with local partners. 'These occasions are always valuable opportunities for connection, visibility, and exchange,' said Colombo.
Next steps in performance validation
In 2025, Arper's focus includes not just new product development, but also contributing to how sustainability is measured across the industry. The company is using Catifa Carta as a case study for alternative end-of-life strategies and has shared related data with a panel of independent experts. The goal is to create new guidelines that better reflect emerging techniques like pyrolysis.
'We believe that innovation in sustainability requires not only new materials, but also new ways of thinking,' Colombo concluded. 'And we are proud to contribute to that shift.'
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*This project was funded by the European Union under the NextGenerationEU initiative, as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), Mission 4, Component 2 – iNEST-Spoke 4 Programme. It falls within Investment 1.5 and is titled "nco2 Project" (CUP: F79I24001500004).
More information:
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