Circular Economy and Quality Management within the Furniture Sector: an exploratory study.

This study aims at exploring whether and how furniture companies know about Circular Economy (CE), what they concretely do for implementing CE practices and what factors motivate, support or hinder their adoption. The role of product and process certifications has been also investigated, since they can be particularly helpful for implementing an environmentally sustainable approach, which, in turn, is critical within a circular business context. The research method is based on a qualitative multiple case-study carried out on four Italian companies operating in the furniture industry. A moderate degree of awareness and knowledge of CE principles emerged from the analysis. However, furniture companies are still little involved in CE practices, especially regarding reuse and recycle activities, which are particularly important within this perspective. Similarly, a scarce use of process and product certifications emerged from the study. Therefore, a potential gap arises between the positive attitude towards CE practices and their actual implementation, which suggests implications for both companies and public institutions.