Oxfordshire firm awarded as circular furniture champion

Rhubarb Seating, based in Oxfordshire, earned the title in Design Conformity’s 2026 industry report, which assessed the sustainability performance of more than 170,000 furniture businesses across the UK and Europe.

It was one of only four UK companies to receive the ‘Leader’ classification, reserved for just 0.1 per cent of those evaluated.

David Matthews, director at Rhubarb Seating, said: “Rhubarb has always got one eye on refurbishment and future-proofing when developing a product, focusing on making it easy to reupholster, repair and re-use.

“Being recognised above most of the sector’s biggest names validates what we’ve always believed: good design and sustainable design are the same thing.”

The recognition follows independent verification of Rhubarb’s Cantay and Banquette seating ranges through Design Conformity’s Carbon Efficiency platform.

Both products achieved C3 Carbon Efficiency Ratings, reflecting strong performance in planned reuse.

The analysis found the Cantay 2-Seater Sofa had a verified carbon footprint of 60.99kg CO₂e, while the Banq Medium Back Straight unit recorded 69.48kg CO₂e.

Mr Matthews said: “There is definitely something inherently beautiful about a board of timber, utilised to its maximum, to create the component elements of a piece of furniture.”

Certified products are now listed on the Design Conformity directory.