TIPTOE sofa (update #2): coming (very) soon!
EASY, the TIPTOE sofa
After a year and a half of work, we are very proud to introduce the EASY sofa! A sofa is a complex object to design. So we decided to involve you and ask for your opinion on several points, in order to create the perfect TIPTOE sofa. For you, the ideal TIPTOE sofa is a minimalist fabric sofa that is comfortable and beautiful, and it must stand the test of time. The ideal sofa is also easy to care for and has removable covers, all made 100% in Europe. The EASY sofa brings all these criteria together! Here, we reveal the final details before its release in July 2021.
The EASY sofa, the result of a close collaboration with design studio BIG GAME
For the first time since the brand was founded, we chose to work with designers outside TIPTOE. We therefore selected BIG GAME, a Swiss design studio founded in 2004 by three designers: Augustin Scott de Martinville, Grégoire Jeanmonod and Elric Petit. The studio describes its work as simple, functional and optimistic. Together, they create a wide variety of products and accessories for a range of brands. The studio has also received numerous awards, including the Swiss Design Award, the iF Design Award, the Wallpaper Design Award and the Good Design Award. BIG GAME’s creations are part of the collections of the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris and MoMA in New York. The TIPTOE and BIG GAME design teams therefore worked in close collaboration: BIG GAME conceived the concept for the sofa and designed it, while the TIPTOE team handled the industrialisation phase and selected the fabrics, colours and suppliers.
Environmental responsibility at the heart of the EASY sofa
EASY is a sofa designed to address the main environmental challenge posed by this type of furniture: recyclability. Products on the market today are mainly made from wood, foam and fabrics permanently fixed together with glues and staples, making disassembly extremely difficult. EASY, by contrast, is made from single-material components that can be easily separated from one another in just a few minutes (steel frame, foam and fabric). Its exceptionally hard-wearing fabric comes from a century-old Danish mill, one of the most prestigious in the world, and is made from polyester composed of more than 75% recycled water bottles. Finally, its steel structure is extremely sturdy, while its recycled flake cushions and foam seat can be easily removed from their covers and replaced, helping to extend its lifespan indefinitely.
The sofa structure
The structure of the EASY sofa is made from powder-coated steel, like most TIPTOE objects. It is the most recycled material in the world and infinitely recyclable. Steel also provides a rigid structure for a sofa that will stay with you for years. It was designed to be assembled quickly, but also to be easily dismantled when the time comes. The steel structure contrasts with the sofa’s inviting cushions and creates a play of colors. The colored steel structure is highly distinctive and echoes the TIPTOE DNA: simple and elegant. Made in Bulgaria, the sofa’s steel frame is delivered in 3 parcels, allowing for very quick assembly.
The choice of recycled fabric
Once again, we chose fabric from the Danish house Gabriel; it was an obvious choice after using it on the SSD Soft chair. Gabriel has been a leading name in upholstery fabric, a benchmark for quality and durability, since 1851. We chose two types of recycled polyester fabric made from bottles, one at 75% and the other at 98%. Both are STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX certified, guaranteeing that the fabric is safe for the user’s health and the environment. They offer very high wear resistance and are therefore also suitable for professional use (60,000 and 100,000 Martindale), and they also comply with international fire safety standards. One of the fabrics is even EU Ecolabel certified (the official European Union ecolabel that helps consumers choose more responsible products). The main advantage of these cushions: the covers are very easy to care for, with machine washing at 40°C. The covers and fabrics are made in Lithuania.
The choice of colors
The choice of colors is a very important step for TIPTOE; it is essential to preserve our colorful DNA with timeless shades. We therefore chose 6 luminous, soft or understated colors that pair with two timeless frame colors, Graphite Black and Austral Grey.
- Slate Grey, a dark grey, almost black
- Heather Grey, a luminous grey
- Sand Beige, a soft color
- Vintage Pink, an understated pink
- Midnight Blue, a deep blue
- Forest Green, a rich green
The colors pair beautifully with the rest of the TIPTOE collection.
Choosing foam, both virgin and recycled
Foam is the main material of a TIPTOE object for the first time. As with every material, we look for the most durable and responsible way to use it, keeping your comfort at the heart of our attention. The seat foam needs to be dense, firm and welcoming all at once. We therefore chose HR (High-Resilience) polyurethane foam. This foam is virgin, as there is not yet enough hindsight on the use of recycled foams in sofa seating. We prioritized the high density of this foam, which promises incredible comfort and long-lasting resistance—also a driver of durability—without your sofa sagging. For soft cushions and armrests, they are filled with recycled polyurethane foam flakes. These are offcuts from our seat foam, shredded and reintroduced. Here, we were able to use recycled foam flakes that offer welcoming loft. The foam and flakes are made in France.
Why EASY?
The EASY sofa is built around 4 key principles: EASY to assemble: the sofa is made up of just a few parts, allowing for quick assembly in 10 minutes. This is also a major advantage for end-of-life and recycling. EASY to keep: EASY is a sofa designed to have an exceptional lifespan and to be passed on to loved ones. Its construction is extremely robust, as are its partially recycled materials (foam flakes and fabrics). Each part can be easily repaired or replaced, from the textile covers to the steel structure and foam filling. EASY is a sofa with removable covers, making care quick and easy, and allowing you to change a cover when needed. EASY on the planet: its easy disassembly and the fact that all its components are single-material make it a sofa with exceptional recyclability. We chose the best materials: steel, recycled fabric, CMHR foam and recycled foam flakes. EASY to love: EASY is also an impressively comfortable sofa thanks to its seat depth and the generous filling of its enveloping cushions, perfect for curling up with family or friends. The sofa has a timeless look, with its steel structure contrasting with the softness of the cushions.
See you on Wednesday, July 21!