Aire meets TIPTOE! TIPTOE is the iconic French home decor brand. A company that has changed our relationship with modularity. TIPTOE places environmental responsibility at the heart of its approach. Discover TIPTOE's vision for sustainable furniture.
How did Matthieu and Vincent meet and how did they enter the world of sustainable furniture?
TIPTOE was founded in 2015 by Matthieu Bourgeaux and Vincent Quesada . Matthieu comes from a family of entrepreneurs in the Chamonix Valley in Haute-Savoie. They have a metal turning business that still manufactures essential parts for TIPTOE products. There is a real family history that continues to this day.
Vincent quickly joined Matthieu on the project. They met while studying at EM Lyon. He has a background in investment banking and has always had a passion for photography and anything aesthetic, especially art.
What sustainable furniture do you produce?
TIPTOE is a sustainable furniture brand, 100% made in Europe. Our mission is to create sustainable furniture that is well-designed, well-produced, and built to last. We're revisiting all our iconic home objects with a fresh vision so they're both long-lasting and made from well-sourced and recycled materials whenever possible.
We started with a modular table leg with a clamp system that allowed us to quickly create a table with any type of top. It then evolved into a more comprehensive furniture brand. We have an SSD chair (Simple Solide et Durable), stools, shelves, a new table, and a sofa.
Can you describe your process for creating sustainable furniture?
We focus on design. We believe that for an object to be sustainable, it must be well thought out at every stage of the value chain. This begins with our product team, which will conduct extensive research, then design, materials, and manufacturing.
The creation process lasts between six months and a year and a half. Each product is truly accomplished in terms of design and choice of materials. We work exclusively with companies in Europe to manufacture our products.
The product team then takes over to create the storytelling surrounding the product launch. They explain its creation and inspirations, and organize photo shoots to showcase the product and promote it on our website, social media, and the press.
Where are your materials located in Europe?
It all depends on the type of material we need. We really go where the best expertise is. We also go to Belgium or France for wood and to Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Romania) for steel. Some of the parts for our objects come from Matthieu's family factory, which specializes in metal turning.
Do you think TIPTOE will have to reinvent itself, especially with the pandemic we are going through?
The pandemic has reinforced our approach. People are looking for a lifestyle with more meaning and a more in-depth reflection on their consumption. This has always been at the heart of TIPTOE's DNA. Offering sustainable furniture is still quite rare in the sector. We are truly in line with the awareness that arose during the pandemic. People confined wanted to create a pleasant living space with objects they truly love.
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In your opinion, do decoration and therefore furniture have an impact on our moods and our well-being?
Yes, absolutely. A well-designed room contributes to our well-being. I think we should surround ourselves with objects that we sincerely love and that we have chosen. TIPTOE products will be able to accompany people throughout their lives.
Can you explain your eco-responsible approach?
This approach has been at the heart of the brand's project from the beginning. We have established five principles for sustainable design that will guide the creation of all our products:
- Create simple objects : Here, function is paramount.
- Do a lot with a little : Create objects with very clear lines that can be deconstructed or recycled.
- Using the right materials : Steel, one of our main materials, is the most recycled material in the world. We are increasingly using recycled plastic for our tabletops and the SSDR chair. We are always trying to innovate in our use of materials and find ever more sustainable materials.
- Create to last : Our objects must be solid to accompany people throughout their lives.
- Think about deconstruction : Have a vision of the object throughout its life cycle. Our chair, for example, is made up of five parts, and if it becomes damaged or worn, there's no need to throw it away; you can replace a part. We can therefore also recycle each part of the object separately.
What is your cult object?
Our iconic object is TIPTOE's first: the table leg. It allows you to create a unique table, either with existing tabletops or with our own. It comes in a variety of colors. With the four legs, you can make a small console table, and if you ever move, you can reuse them to create a dining room. There's really this idea of lifelong support. It has a very identifiable look, and it's been the brand's flagship object since the beginning. We're very proud of it.
Finally, what do you think of the Pegboard and modular design? Should we prefer a single-function object? Or does multifunction provide solutions that are in line with our lifestyles?
We like objects to be multifunctional. It's TIPTOE's DNA. It's also the DNA of the table leg we created. Function plays a very important role in TIPTOE objects, so if it can be multiple, it's even better. We see this, for example, with our LOU stool, which our community loves. It's primarily a seat, but customers also use it as a decorative object.
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Interview by Clara Didier
Formatted by Coralie Mottu
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