Rhubarb Seating, the British commercial seating manufacturer based in Oxfordshire, has been named a Circularity Champion Manufacturer in Design Conformity's 2026 industry report.
This is one of the most comprehensive independent assessments of sustainability in the UK and European furniture sector, spanning more than 170k furniture businesses. Rhubarb Seating were one of only four Circularity Champion Manufacturer Leaders in the UK recognised for their carbon efficiency and circular design leadership. Out of the 39 UK Manufacturers assessed and over 170k companies across Europe, just 0.1% merited the Leader classification.
Design Conformity’s 2026 industry report is one of the most comprehensive independent assessments of sustainability in the UK and European furniture sector. The accolade follows the independent verification of Rhubarb's Cantay and Banquette ranges through Design Conformity's Carbon Efficiency platform, which assesses products across their full lifecycle, including first and second life potential. Both products received C3 Carbon Efficiency Ratings, meaning their performance in planned reuse scenarios makes them among the most efficient soft seating solutions available to commercial specifiers. The Cantay upgrades to C2 for the second life for which it is designed.
The Cantay 2-Seater Sofa recorded a verified carbon footprint of 60.99 kg CO₂e, with a Carbon Efficiency Rating that compares favourably against significantly larger competitors operating at far greater scale. The Banq Medium Back Straight unit achieved 69.48 kg CO₂e with C3 ratings across both life stages.
“Rhubarb has always got one eye on refurbishment and future-proofing when developing a product, focusing on making it easy to reupholster, repair and re-use," says David Matthews, Director at Rhubarb Seating. "Being recognised above most of the sector's biggest names validates what we've always believed: good design and sustainable design are the same thing.
“There is definitely something inherently beautiful about a board of timber, utilised to its maximum, to create the component elements of a piece of furniture. Sometimes it even elevates the results to an art form and a thing of beauty.”
