Okamura Co., Ltd.
20th anniversary of Okamura’s flagship seating “Contessa” announcement A limited anniversary model commemorating the 20th anniversary will be released in March 2023, and a circular model based on sustainable product development will be released in November 2022.
Okamura Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture; President and CEO: Masayuki Nakamura)’s flagship seating “Contessa” is the international furniture trade fair “ORGATEC” held in Germany in 2002. )” celebrates its 20th anniversary.
“Contessa” was born in collaboration with the design firm “ITALDESIGN” in Turin, Italy, with the aim of creating an innovative office chair that can be used around the world. We pursued a one-of-a-kind mesh chair with excellent functions that correspond to various work scenes and postures, and an original form. I created a universal design that does not exist. Announced at the international furniture trade fair “ORGATEC” held in Cologne, Germany in 2002. In 2016, in order to respond to globalization and diversification of work styles, it was reborn as “Contessa II” with upgraded functions and strength. Its design and ease of use have been highly evaluated both
domestically and internationally, and have won numerous design awards. In addition, in pursuit of global specifications, we have acquired the US BIFMA X5.1-2017 standard *1 compliance, German GS certification *2, and LEVEL certification *3 and Indoor Advantage certification *4 as environmental certifications.
*1 Standard by the US office furniture industry group BIFMA (The Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association) *2 GS (Geprufte Sicherheit): German safety certification
*3 Global environmental certification that evaluates products, manufacturing facilities, and companies regarding the environmental and social impact of furniture in the built environment by the US office furniture industry association BIFMA.
*4 Furniture and interior building materials that meet strict standards for volatile organic compounds (VOC) released into the air from products in accordance with the furniture sustainability standard ANSI/BIFMA e3 established by the US office furniture industry association BIFMA. Environmental certification granted
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Task seating “Contessa II” anniversary model launched (March 2023) In March 2023, the “Contessa II” anniversary model will be released to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the “Contessa” announcement. For the anniversary model, the flowing aluminum frame, which is the icon of the Contessa, has been customized with a special color, and the back mesh frame has an emblem symbolizing collaboration with Italdesign. Two colors are available: “Deep Black” color that expresses the dignity that “Contessa” has built, and “Accent Copper” color that expresses the dawn of a bright future. From March 2023, a total of 100 units of the two types will be on sale at the EC site “OKAMURA Lifestyle Store” for individuals directly managed by Okamura. [Image 2
□ Okamura EC site for individuals “OKAMURA Lifestyle Store”
(pre-opening in November 2022)
https://lifestylestore.okamura.co.jp/
* The anniversary model will be released in March 2023 with a total of 100 units of 2 types, and will be available only on the EC site “OKAMURA Lifestyle Store” for individuals directly managed by Okamura. Task seating “Contessa II” circular model launched (November 2022) Based on the concept of “Circular Economy*5”, Okamura has been developing products throughout the product life cycle, from product planning and design to procurement, manufacturing, sales, maintenance, reuse, and recycling. , we have formulated the concept of “circular design*6”, which aims for manufacturing that uses limited resources effectively for a long time and minimizes the generation of waste. Through product development based on “circular design”, we will launch a circular model using sustainable materials for the task seat “Contessa II” in November 2022.
*5 Circular economy is an alternative to the conventional linear economy (linear economy) of “mass production, mass consumption, and mass disposal”. (Excerpt from the Ministry of the Environment website) *6 Okamura website GREEN WAVE
https://www.okamura.co.jp/company/sustainability/greenwave
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The circular model of “Contessa II” uses recycled nylon “REAMIDE (R) * 7 (Riamid)” recycled from used fishing nets in Japan for the resin part of the back and seat.
For the upholstery, we use “Re:net”, a knit material originally developed by Okamura that weaves “REAMIDE (R)” thread and recycled PET thread on the seat surface. In addition, Okamura has developed a new mesh material made from recycled fibers made from used PET bottles and uses it for the back.
The seat cushion uses polyethylene “E-LOOP” and is 100% recyclable. “Eloop” is a knitted resin network structure with a three-dimensional structure, which has excellent breathability and body pressure dispersion, and by changing the density of the resin in three dimensions, it has achieved a more comfortable sitting experience. . Leather is also available as a variation of the upholstery for the back and seat. “CircuLeather (TM)” is used for the leather. Circu leather is a material that returns to the soil as fertilizer after being used as a leather product. More than 90% is genuine leather, which is a bio-based material.
The function is the same as the conventional “Contessa II”. Black is the only color available for the frame, body, upholstery and leather. *7 “REAMIDE(R)” is a registered trademark of Refinverse Group Co., Ltd.
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[Image 5
Variation of “Contessa II” circular model
Okamura aims to manufacture products that use limited resources effectively for a longer period of time and minimize the generation of waste, thereby reducing environmental impact and contributing to the creation of a sustainable society.
□ Okamura website Contessa 20th Anniversary
https://www.okamura.co.jp/product/seating/contessa20th/sp/
Details about this release:
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000026.000103401.html