THE KARE SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE
Just as a passion for design and home living is part of our heritage, so too is a sense of responsibility for social, environmental, and economic sustainability. We’re on the right track, but we haven’t reached our goal yet, and we strive to improve every day.
To that end, we launched the “Let’s Do Better” initiative. Through this initiative, we are pulling out all the stops to continue driving sustainable practices across all areas of the company
WOOD WITH HISTORY
Every manufacturer must provide us with current, recognized certificates attesting to the legal and environmentally responsible sourcing and origin of wood and other natural materials. KARE wood products come exclusively from legally managed forests. This verification process builds trust and makes a valuable contribution to the future of us all.
LEATHER FOR A LIFETIME
A beautiful genuine leather sofa is a lifetime investment—with proper care, it’s durable and only gets more beautiful with age. Genuine leather is naturally abrasion-resistant, durable, and tear-resistant. Compared to inexpensive leather alternatives in particular, high-quality genuine leather is more environmentally friendly to produce.
HANDCRAFTED
Here’s to one-of-a-kind furniture featuring inlays, carvings, and upcycling!Traditionally crafted furniture is like friends who accompany us through many stages of life and, thanks to their durability, contribute to sustainable living. They tell the story of ancient traditions and, combined with modern design, bring cultural treasures into the present day.
NATURAL FEEL
Our home textiles also feel great—we have them manufactured from natural materials such as cotton, wool, and linen, or from natural-based yarns like viscose, which is derived from plant fibers. Our in-house quality management team verifies proofs of origin and oversees the use of certified labels such as FSC®.
" We don't create disposable products. Our mission is to create favorite pieces of furniture that have what it takes to become lifelong companions. "
OUR VALUES
01
SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT
Carpenters often spend many days working on a sideboard, made of recycled wood, for example. Furniture not only incorporates a natural product worthy of protection—such as wood—but also often embodies the knowledge of centuries-old craft traditions. Recycled materials such as glass, steel, leather, and wood can also be found in many other product categories at KARE. Whenever possible, we source items made from recycled materials, thereby contributing to waste reduction and the sustainable use of resources.
02
QUALITY PUT TO THE TEST
KARE stands for creativity fueled by passion. And yet, it is bureaucracy that ensures we treat nature and its fascinating materials with care. Our Quality Management department scrutinizes every product with detective-like precision in accordance with strict European regulations. In this way, our team ensures that our wood sourcing contributes to the preservation of nature. Paints, varnishes, and coatings, for example, are also strictly regulated.
03
A SENSE OF COMFORT AT HOME
Natural materials such as real wood, marble, cotton, wool, and linen are increasingly becoming part of our collections. With their colors, textures, and stories, they create a wonderful sense of comfort in the home, do not harm the environment, and can be recycled back into the material cycle. In this way, we also take responsibility for the careful use of resources.
04
HERE'S TO A LONG FRIENDSHIP
We love trends and boundless inspiration! That’s why we offer furniture, lighting, and decor for every taste and style. After all, living should be fun. But in our view, furniture isn’t something to be thrown away. KARE CEO Peter Schönhofen: “It’s part of our home—maybe even part of the family—and it holds value. We want to preserve that value.”
"By supporting workshops and artisanal businesses, we are preserving rare crafts from disappearing. And we are giving local family-run businesses a future, thereby strengthening the local community."
IT ALL STARTS WITH A DESIGN IDEA
Every step counts when it comes to sustainability, and we took our first steps back in the 1990s. Instead of mass production, we focus on small furniture collections, which we have crafted from high-quality materials in workshops and artisanal factories. We know every production site and supplier personally and inspect them several times a year, whether in Europe or Asia. Humane and fair working conditions are a must for us to choose a business partner.
THE BIG PICTURE
To do better than others—that was the idea behind the founding of KARE in 1981. Our mission is to make every home a happy place with furniture that retains its value. For us, the concept of “home” encompasses much more than just our own four walls. It includes the environment and nature, the people we live and work with, and our social surroundings. That’s why our mission doesn’t end at our customers’ front doors or at the gates of our factory grounds.
PRESERVING VALUES, CONSERVING RESOURCES
Most of our products are made from high-quality, solid, recycled, or reusable materials. For example, dining tables made of solid wood that can one day be sanded down and resealed. Or sideboards made of recycled wood with a timeless yet unique design that doesn’t follow trends but, as a favorite piece, always finds a place in your home. Or that are given a second life as vintage furniture.
LET'S DO BETTER MEANS:
WOOD WITH HISTORY
A SENSE OF COMFORT
LEATHER FOR LIFE
THINKING SUSTAINABLY
QUALITY PUT TO THE TEST
