Noah Living – systemic sustainability

At the start, there were many questions: what happens if I move and the sofa is too small or too big for my new apartment? Can I remove the cover, wash it, change it? What resources are used in the production process, and what happens to the components of my furniture at the end of its life cycle? These and many other considerations were the launching point for the young, Berlin-based, designer furniture brand Noah Living. Typical questions that conscious buyers are increasingly asking themselves. After all, it is no secret that one of the biggest challenges facing the furniture industry is finding authentic solutions for dealing with resources, and to answer these questions on the circular economy. In addition to the use of recyclable materials and sustainable manufacturing techniques, transport routes and supply chains, reparability and adaptability in the event of changing living conditions, are also crucial.

As a manufacturer and brand with design aspirations, Noah Living is committed to getting it right from the start. ‘Form follows life’, is how co-founder René Martens puts it. ‘We want to focus very precisely on the multi-layered needs of our target group’. He and his founding and business partner Dario Schröder both come from furniture families. The importance of good design was, to a certain extent, already in the blood. Both studied Corporate Management and Economics together in Friedrichshafen and thus also bring a well-founded economic perspective into play. ‘We are designers at heart and economists in our heads,’ says Martens. In the core team, the pair are complemented on the creative side by Hannah Schröder, interior designer and creative director, and product designer and head of product development Felix Landwehr.

Growth is supposed to happen organically; the reason why when they first entered the marketplace a good three years ago, they did so with just one sofa – albeit with the clear objective of offering a full programme of different furniture pieces and accessories, later.

So what is different about the Noah Sofa? First of all, it has a modular design so that it can grow with its owner in each phase of their life, and be rearranged as they wish. To make this as simple as possible, the Noah Living design team has created a coherent plug-in system. A slim, powder-coated steel frame serves as the base. The tools for assembling and converting it can stay in the cellar. And the covers can also be easily removed, cleaned or changed if necessary. Underneath the dirt-resistant polyester cover is a cushion consisting of three layers: a thin fleece, a so-called foam-receiving layer and the actual foam core. A net beneath the cushion provides a comfortable spring and the sofa can be supplemented with an attachable table. But now comes the next big step in the development of the range.

This autumn, Noah Living is launching its second piece of furniture: a bed. For this, the young entrepreneurs are applying the experience they have gained over the past few years, during which they have listened very carefully to the needs of their customers. Once again, the system's concept allows them to change the piece of furniture as needed. So you don't have to buy a whole new bed if one day you feel like a wider or narrower version. The frame is made of solid European oak or lacquered ash. A headboard made of solid wood and linoleum as well as an upholstered, one- or two-piece version with a linen cover are also available. Here, too, it is possible to change and adapt, for example by simply replacing the pre-assembled linoleum top. The divided upholstered headboard can also be attached on all sides, as can the bedside table, which is available as an option.

Another important point besides sustainability is a healthy sleeping environment, as Martens explains. Only wood, varnishes based on biogenic binding agents that are free of petroleum and animal testing, linoleum, natural latex and linen from a Belgian weaving mill for the upholstered headboard are used in the manufacture of the bed.

In keeping with these high standards, Noah Living's production happens in Germany, thus reducing transport distances to a minimum: steel from Brandenburg, sofa upholstery from North Rhine-Westphalia, and the bed itself is made in the Black Forest. All of these savings are, of course, only beneficial if mispurchases, and thus returns, are avoided – Noah Living nonetheless operates a 30-day right-of-return policy. The brand can be found primarily online, but also in its showroom in Berlin's Mitte district. 

Personalised advice is another key to success: ‘We get very positive feedback on our customer service and we have an extremely low return rate,’ Martens is pleased to say. ‘Many of our customers come via recommendation.’ For buyers of the sofa, the new bed is an opportunity to drop by again, and also in the works are a dining table, a family of chairs and an outdoor sofa, as well as sustainable office solutions.

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