How AI & Robotics Are Transforming Furniture to Eliminate Waste

Hosted by

Ian Peterman

Founder | Peterman Design Firm

Guest

Ewelina Pankowska

Founder & CEO | Reforest Design

Sponsored by

Discover how the furniture industry is being transformed from wasteful and disposable to modular, circular, and tech-powered. In this episode of the Conscious Design Podcast, Ewelina Pankowska, founder of Zucchini and Reforest Design, shares how her team is using AI, robotics, blockchain, and circular manufacturing systems to help eliminate global furniture waste.

Ewelina dives into the power of bamboo and hemp wood, the growing crisis of fast furniture, and how her company is building customizable, high-quality furniture that can be easily repaired, upgraded, and even turned into biochar at the end of its lifecycle.

Notable Moments

00:00 - Guest Introduction
00:53 – The Mission to Eliminate Furniture Waste
02:41 – On-Demand Manufacturing and Customization
04:07 – The Benefits of Bamboo and Hemp Wood
08:56 – The Concept of Quality in Furniture
13:35 – Investment Security in Sustainable Furniture
18:36 – Addressing Fast Furniture
20:09 – Innovative Design and Efficient Furniture Manufacturing
22:00 – Modern Tools: CNC, Robotics, and Flat Pack Design
24:03 – Arm Box, Circular Thinking, and Biochar Solutions
31:25 – The Journey and Challenges of Packaging
39:08 – Scaling with Strategic Partnerships
40:59 – Achievements and Future Plans

About Ewelina Pankowska and Reforest Design

Ewelina Pankowska is the Founder and CEO of Reforest Design, and her personal mission is to redefine and evolve what is currently recognized as sustainable furniture.

Reforest Design is a tech company that makes furniture with the support of AI and Robotics. Their mission is to eliminate fast furniture by making high-quality, custom, circular furniture the standard—not a luxury.

We are a global non-profit working to connect and inspire designers through programs, awards, and events, to create a global circular society through the principles of Conscious Design.