Together with our partners we worked on the recovery of outdoor curtains that would eventually be thrown away. Thanks to an upcycling process, the fiber is brought back to the nature of staple to weave new high-strength 100% solution-dyed acrylic materials, perfect for making ropes and belts. This is another innovation that we are proposing on the market.

In addition to the use of sustainable materials, we promote a proper durable function. One of the most important principles of sustainability that we believe in is durability, and therefore the reduction of waste for products that are then thrown away. Building quality products is another important sustainability factor. If we add to that the use of sustainable materials, the result is undoubtedly successful.

Speaking now more in general, sustainability is usually associated with the use of sustainable materials. Instead, we pursue a broader concept of sustainability, not just on materials but across the company. In this sense, ESG factors are at the heart of our development project.

Roda obtained important certifications such as Greenguard Gold, that recognizes compliance with the most rigid program in terms of criteria for low emissions, including special parameters for people’s health. Recently we also acquired the ISO 14001:2015, namely the international standard that specifies requirements for an effective environmental management system. We can definitely affirm that sustainability is a cross theme for all the company aspects of Roda.

In the last three years we have completely shed the skin of the company. Previously, we used to develop design ideas and then had them created by a pool of suppliers, mainly between Italy and Asia. However, three years ago we decided to invest in a production center in Bodio Lomnago, 15 minutes from the Gavirate headquarters (Varese, Lombardy). In this 12,000-square-metre complex with 70 employees, we have developed several production cycles: from joinery to the production of upholstered furniture, from weaving to assembling.

We have thus created a local ecosystem to enhance Made in Italy productions, strengthening relations with suppliers in Italy. Moreover, with the pandemic and the necessity to reduce the costs of logistics, we have re-engineered many products that before were entirely produced in Asia and now are completed and finalized in the productive site of Bodio. This allows you to see the product being manufactured, to perform an on-site quality control and bring the capacity of Italian manufacturing within the production ecosystem of the Roda group. The enhancement of Made in Italy is thus also an enhancement of the Italian territory.

I would mention two. The first is the collection of sofas Estendo by designer Luca Pevere. It is a series of modular sofas with an aluminum structure to which it is possible to combine a series of additional modularities thanks to inserts. With this collection Roda, which was born as a predominantly residential brand, has expanded the design offer to products with dimensions, shapes and performance more related to the world of contract.

The second collection that I wish to mention is Levante, developed with Piero Lissoni, thanks to which we have brought back a series of shapes and functionalities related to the world of classic teak – therefore, folding products and constructions with wooden inserts. An example is the classic cruise chaise longue, to which Piero Lissoni has been able to give a contemporary touch, thus bringing back the concept of outdoor furniture design. The trend we see on the market today is to develop, especially in large brands that have only recently begun to create outdoor collections, products with an indoor aesthetic. Being among the first proponents of the “in & out” concept, we already had this. Thus, we wanted to take a step forward in order to give importance to shapes and aesthetics 100% related to the outdoor world.