06 Sep 2024

Johanna Breaks New Ground in Furniture Manufacturing

Three and a half years ago, Johanna Vesterberg founded the furniture design company Normada in Luleå. With a solid background in textiles, carpentry, and furniture design, she had a clear vision: to change the way we view furniture by focusing on sustainability and circular solutions. Today, Normada is at the forefront with a collection of 3D-printed furniture that challenges the conventions of the furniture industry.

Johanna, who had always dreamed of starting her own business, early on saw the need to create furniture that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also sustainable over time. With that insight, she began exploring more circular manufacturing methods.

“No matter how beautiful the furniture is, it will eventually end up in the landfill. I wanted to create something that was both beautiful and sustainable, and that led me to 3D-print furniture from recycled materials in a unique Scandinavian design,” says Johanna.

The Nest is a 3D printed rocking sofa.

The development of Normada’s products has taken place in close collaboration with the research institute RISE and Luleå University of Technology. The company’s mission is to contribute to a better world by changing the way furniture is manufactured, consumed, and recycled.

Big Plans

Normada’s customers have the option to choose between handmade or 3D-printed products, and they can also choose to buy, rent, or return the furniture to transform it into something new.

“The material we use opens up a whole new way of looking at furniture. If you buy six chairs, you can grind one down and make a child’s chair if the need arises, and as the children grow, you can make the chair bigger and bigger,” explains Johanna.

Normada now plans to set up a large-scale 3D printing studio (so-called additive manufacturing) where the company can help other players transition their manufacturing. Johanna sees a great need to spread the technology, not just for furniture, but also for manufacturing industrial spare parts on demand, which can mean significant cost savings for companies that currently manage large inventories.

Looking for Partners

“We primarily target customers in furniture, interior design, and architecture, but the possibilities are endless. Being able to offer contract manufacturing in 3D-printed form allows us to reduce costs and make the products more accessible,” says Johanna.

Normada has also placed great emphasis on using materials that come from local recycling centers, creating a very closed loop in production. The company experiments with PET materials from food packaging, construction plastic, and even bumpers from Volvo V70s.

“We can claim that we have ‘recycled this many bumpers’ and then mix it with other sustainable materials. We want to be transparent with our methods and recipes and create sharing services to get more people on board and spread our mission,” says Johanna.

To take the next step, Normada is now looking for investors and partners who share the company’s vision of a sustainable future in furniture design.

“We need more people who are passionate about what we do and who want to help change the industry. If this sounds exciting, please get in touch – we need all the knowledge and commitment we can get,” concludes Johanna.

Click here to read more about Normada!