Man + Wife’s New Range Embraces Regenerative Design

WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied


“Creating good, through furniture” is a design philosophy intrinsic to Man + Wife’s new range of low-impact furnishings.

Based in Gqeberha, this family-run business wholeheartedly embraces the principles of regenerative design by creating furniture that makes a positive impact. “We want our furniture to help people thrive – to be a positive choice towards living better,” says Bruce and Kimlyn Harbottle, the design duo behind Man + Wife.

Your furniture is described as ‘healthy’. What does that mean?

We think of ourselves almost as a health business that happens to make furniture, rather than a furniture company trying to design low-impact furniture. Our pieces are healthy for you, your family, the community and the planet. We’re targeting people like us, who are concerned about the future – not just their own, but their children’s and the world’s.

What is the difference between sustainable design and regenerative design?

Regenerative design goes beyond sustainable design, which is about trying to minimise environmental impact. Regenerative design seeks to create a net positive impact on natural systems. In other words, regenerative design is about using design to do good – to help repair and protect the planet and our environment.

Is regenerative design realistic given the design landscape? 

While the aim is for our products to be completely regenerative, that will take some time and scale to achieve. Right now, we’re focused on building relationships with local suppliers, sourcing low-impact materials and developing our furniture manufacturing expertise. The long-term aim is to build a vertically integrated business, where we have complete control of our supply chain, from farm to retail.

What is Ecological Outcome Verification™ and how is Man+Wife working towards it?

EVO is an outcomes-based protocol for verifying land regeneration based on a host of ecological indicators, including ground cover, water infiltration, biodiversity, and soil carbon and soil health. It’s not an easy thing to achieve and the concept is still young in South Africa.

Our furniture is unique to our location. It’s about rethinking materials used and the impact those materials have on the environment and our health, as well as designing for quality and durability. Our items are designed to be repaired, rather than needing to be replaced.

What are some of the materials used in your range?

Urethane foam has been replaced with locally sourced waste wool from Butterworth (wool offcuts that would otherwise be discarded). Leather is locally sourced from regenerative farms in Hogsback and tanned in Kariega (Uitenhage), while textiles are locally manufactured and woven, with the long-term plan of sourcing regenerative-certified wool and weaving it into custom textiles.

Currently, felting is made from recycled fabric remnants. Upholstery fabric is a mix of locally sourced cotton and recyclable olefin fibres. We also have an option of using fabric made from recycled PET bottles.

The internal framing of the furniture is made from South African pine from sustainable forests and plantations from Stutterheim and Hogsback, while the hardwoods used for wooden detailing are hard pear, sourced from carefully managed indigenous forests. Wood is sourced from expired trees, each certified by SANParks. Wood is finished using natural linseed oils.

You’ve mentioned that you aimed to create a business that your children could be a part of. Have they already been part of the process of creating your new furniture range? 

Our business was started with our children, Noah and Michaela, in mind, but our hope is to contribute to positive social impact beyond our family, into our community, our country and planet as a whole. Ultimately, our dream is to grow our business to become a furniture manufacturing hub that will provide jobs, skills training and education in the province of the Eastern Cape, helping to transform the region from one of poverty to one of prosperity and health.


For more information, visit manandwife.co.za

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