Focus on Sustainability
In addition to working with the very best designers and the finest materials, Carl Hansen & Søn has been committed to sustainable development for many years. Read 3 short stories here about how we at Carl Hansen & Søn work with sustainability in different ways.
On a journey towards environmentally certified wood
Alongside working with some of the most innovative designers and high-quality materials, Carl Hansen & Søn has a long-standing commitment to driving sustainable development.
We are committed to using only environmentally certified wood by 2025, thereby ensuring that the wood we source comes from responsibly managed forests and sawmills. Today, we have more than 75 design icons available in FSC™ certified wood (FSC C135991) and we are continually working to include more. Newly launched Carl Hansen & Søn designs are always crafted in FSC™-certified wood.
By sourcing FSC™-certified wood, we ensure that forests are responsibly harvested, while protecting other plants, the animals of the forests and the people working in and living off the land. This is our commitment to the future of the planet - crafting quality design that lasts for generations, made from sustainably sourced wood.
Carl Hansen & Søn is certified to produce FSC™-certified furniture. Up to 90% of the wood we use in our products is FSC™-certified. The remainder derives from non-certified sustainable forestry.
Using every precious grain
Wood is a precious natural resource, and we are committed to using every piece and little scrap to its fullest. Our furniture is crafted from solid wood into iconic design pieces. Residue wood is inevitable, but we are using everything leftover to its fullest. Larger pieces of residue wood are crafted into beautiful wooden pieces, such as cutting boards and other home accessories.
The scraps and sawdust that remain are repurposed in a district heating plant that provides heating to our own production facilities and to more than 400. local homes in our hometown of Gelsted, Danmark.
Challenging how we use our resources has sparked creative ideas which have allowed us to become more sustainable in our production, while passing on a sustainable legacy of craftmanship – one iconic piece at a time.
Cutting boards and other accesories are made from left-over materials from the furniture production.
Investing in the future of craftsmanship
High quality furniture craftsmanship has always been dependent on the passion and dedication of skilled craftspeople. For centuries, the skills of master furniture makers have been developed, refined and passed on through apprenticeships.
Since 1908, countless apprentices have started their careers in the Carl Hansen & Søn workshop, learning from experienced master carpenters and joiners. Today, the role of apprentices continues to be an essential part of preserving traditional craftsmanship.
In our production, we rely on the unmatched skills of our craftspeople at every step of the process. Therefore, we believe that investing in the young apprentices of today is the best way to ensure the legacy of Danish furniture design and craftsmanship in the future.
In 2019, we introduced The Lab, a new mentor-guided program intended to supplement the time apprentices spend learning on the production floor. The Lab provides opportunities to learn at a slower, less production-focused pace, so that apprentices can ask questions, study specific skills and tools, and work together with their mentors and peers to develop collaborative and problem-solving skills. With our apprentice program, we believe that we are not only preserving design icons, we are also investing in the future of quality craftsmanship.
More stories about Carl Hansen & Son
At Carl Hansen & Søn, we believe that iconic design is a combination of simplicity, aesthetics and functionality brought to life through skillful work with the highest quality materials.
Through the years, Carl Hansen & Søn has maintained a strong focus on preserving Danish design classics while continuing to expand our collection to represent influential new designers. Our goal: to gather the best, most iconic modern furniture designs under one roof.
Since Knud Erik Hansen, Carl Hansen’s grandson, became the third-generation leader of the family-owned business in 2002, Carl Hansen & Søn has significantly expanded its international presence.
Along with working with the very best designers and the finest materials, Carl Hansen & Søn has a long-standing commitment to driving sustainable development.
When you choose a product from Carl Hansen & Søn, you get more than just a piece of furniture. You will become part of a long and proud tradition of beautiful and distinctive craftsmanship where nothing is left to chance. We are the world’s largest manufacturer of furniture designed by Hans J. Wegner, and we also manufacture furniture created by renowned furniture designers such as Arne Jacobsen, Børge Mogensen, Ole Wanscher, Kaare Klint, Poul Kjærholm, Bodil Kjær, and Tadao Ando. Carl Hansen & Søn represents more than 100 years of Danish design history, and our furniture is sold worldwide.
*Indoor furniture 5 years warranty. Outdoor furniture 2 years warranty