In Norway, a startup aims to lower the carbon footprint of home furnishings by swapping out petrochemical-based foams with seaweed.
Celine Sandberg, founder and CEO Agoprene, tells Wired that polyurethane foam rubber for furniture causes 105 million metric tons of CO2 emissions annually. “In the furniture industry, everyone knows that foam is bad for the environment and no one wants to use it, but there are no other alternatives,” Sandberg says. “I want to supply [a more sustainable] alternative to what we have today, with no petrochemicals.”
Armed with a graduate degree from Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s School of Entrepreneurship, about 800 failed foam concepts, and a modest $1 million grant from Norway’s Research Council, Sandberg has finally settled on a formula. To date, Agoprene has produced 500 foam pillows.
“At the moment, we are focused on developing foam for furniture, but we are also open to exploring new applications,” she says. For instance, Agoprene has already received inquiries from a ski manufacturer, a soundproofing company, and even a shoemaker—all looking for sustainable foam.