Europe commits to circular furniture: CETEM, SANCAL and FAMA lead the FRANCESCA project to promote the use of materials and reduce waste in the habitat sector

The Furniture and Wood Technology Centre (CETEM) hosted the first meeting of the European FRANCESCA project, a strategic initiative that aims to transform the furniture sector by applying circular economy principles throughout the product life cycle, contributing to waste reduction and a more sustainable model of design, manufacturing and reuse in Europe.

During the initial meeting, held in Yecla on 27 and 28 January, with CETEM as the project leader, the consortium partners laid the foundations for the work to be carried out until its completion in 2028, aligning objectives, defining planning and coordinating technical actions. The meeting addressed key issues such as the development of circular materials, business models based on the circular economy, environmental impact assessment, and communication and dissemination strategies.

FRANCESCA (Furniture Renewal and Alternative New Circular Efficiency Strategies through Creative Approaches) is a project co-financed by the European Union, with a budget of over €5.3 million, led, coordinated and promoted by CETEM, which brings together 15 organisations from 7 countries. In this context, CETEM is strengthening its role as a technology centre that supports companies in changing their business models, focusing on research and knowledge transfer.

The project aims to develop innovative solutions that integrate the circular economy from the design phase to the end of the product’s useful life, combining technical, industrial, social and market capabilities to address systemic challenges. In Europe, the furniture sector generates millions of tonnes of waste annually that does not return to the value chain. FRANCESCA is here to change that trend. To this end, it aims to promote the maintenance, repair and reuse of product materials.

As part of the programme, tomorrow, Wednesday 28 January, the consortium members will visit the Yecla-based companies FAMA and SANCAL, which are part of the project, in order to learn about their production processes and analyse the challenges and opportunities facing the sector. The direct involvement of industry is key to validating the solutions developed and ensuring that they are useful, applicable and scalable in the real market. To ensure the implementation of the measures in companies, they will be accompanied by training, demonstration and dissemination actions.

The two-day event brings together representatives from technology centres, universities, companies and European organisations at CETEM, creating a collaborative ecosystem in which the diversity of participants is one of the project’s main values. With this meeting, FRANCESCA reinforces CETEM’s role as a leading player in innovation, while consolidating Yecla and the Region of Murcia at the forefront of sustainability and furniture transformation at an international level.