Décor Meeting #19: Ripaton, Part 2, Decoration Without Waste

Do you think your profession will have to reinvent itself towards decoration without waste? Especially with the pandemic we are going through.

Not really. We are part of the few sectors that experienced strong growth during the pandemic. The decoration sector exploded during the lockdown. The challenge was to keep up with the pace to meet all our orders. So we had to hire new people. Our goal is to meet all the new needs of our customers. For this, we are constantly developing our range of decoration products without waste.

Can you briefly present your eco-responsible approach thanks to your decoration without waste?

From the beginning, we decided to make our products by hand in France, in our workshop. We work with local suppliers. We buy our raw materials and cardboard from suppliers in Montpellier.

All our packaging is made from recycled materials. We reuse our scraps to create other products. The goal is to maximize decoration without waste.

We produce on demand to avoid overstock.

We also collaborate with an Ésat. It is a work center for people with disabilities.

Thanks to our production method, we can offer our customers quality, sturdy products without waste. We try to promote a different kind of consumption. With our legs, you will be able to make tables that will last more than 10 years.

In your opinion, does decoration without waste and consequently furniture have an impact on our moods and well-being?

Yes, definitely. Being in an interior where you feel good affects your mood and spirit. That’s why we highlight different kinds of atmospheres and interiors. There are many different styles (vintage, Scandinavian, design…). I believe having beautiful furniture and pieces influences our mood. People who make their own furniture have a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment from having created something. They will be proud of it, show it to their friends and family. All of this contributes to a small form of well-being that is quite important.

Do you think you have a particular style?

Honestly no. Our products have the ability to adapt to all types of interiors. We offer raw steel products that are untreated and have an industrial feel. But the same product can be lacquered in white to have a much more Scandinavian and clean look, or on the contrary in matte black for interiors that are a bit more distinctive and "design." There really isn’t a specific style.

Do you have a project you dream of realizing one day?

I would like us to be able to bring Ripaton to Europe as we have done in France. Today, very humbly, our company is a reference in terms of table legs and eco-friendly furniture. What we have achieved in 5 years is really amazing. Our goal now is to develop the brand in Europe and become a reference. That would be an accomplishment for me and all our collaborators. We have worked very hard to be well established in France. So it’s a great challenge to achieve this in Europe. It would be the culmination of this adventure.

What are your sources of inspiration?

We draw a lot of inspiration from what we see on social media or in magazines. Whenever I go to a restaurant or a shop, I look at the table legs. There are so many things that inspire us. With the whole team, we have a Slack group, and whenever we see a leg we like or something inspiring, we send each other photos. We’re not necessarily inspired by a particular designer or person. We try to follow trends and also be a bit “avant-garde.” The team is also working on trendy materials. For example, we want to work with recycled plastic. There are many things we want to anticipate and implement.

Do you have any Instagram or Facebook accounts you particularly like? (whether brands or individuals)

French Viking and La Chaise Française are circles of creators like us, who make French and sustainable products. Outside of furniture, I really like the way the brand Respire communicates and presents its products. These are brands that inspire me. Atelier Tuffery as well.

And finally, what do you think about the Pegboard and modular design? Should we prefer a single-function object? Or does multifunctionality offer solutions that fit our lifestyles?

I wasn’t necessarily familiar with the Pegboard, but when I saw it, I found it really interesting. Multifunctional objects are my favorite. That’s actually what we try to do with our products. For example, our modular shelves or the idea that the legs can be used for different types of tables. For me, multifunctionality, modularity, and customizability are very important.

Feel free to check out our latest article: Houbly and their bio-based materials