How scrap materials are turned into designer furniture
How can materials be used for as long as possible? Audi addresses this issue not only in the context of vehicle development, but also in other areas of the company. At Audi Sales, a furniture project demonstrates how existing products can be further developed in line with the principles of the circular economy.
What is the first thing you notice when you walk into an Audi sales partner’s showroom? The models on display? A striking exterior color? The vehicles certainly attract a lot of attention. At the same time, the showroom’s interior design concepts, furniture and materials define the brand experience. They reflect Audi’s standards for design, quality and durability. And for that very reason, they also address the question of how materials can be used for longer and waste materials can be reused.
One example is a new version of the Cuoio Chair. Audi sales partners can select it for their showrooms worldwide. Alongside clarity of design and comfort, the focus is also on the conscious use of materials: The seat shell is made from a material containing recycled leather remnants from the consumer goods industry.
“Sustainability becomes credible when it is visible and tangible in everyday life,” says Boris Hessler, Head of Global Corporate Architecture in Retail Development. “Through projects like this, we explore how materials can be reused without compromising our standards for design, quality, comfort and everyday practicality.”
What is so special about the Cuoio Chair?
The Cuoio Chair was designed by the Vienna-based design studio EOOS and is manufactured by the furniture company Walter Knoll. Its design is reduced to a minimum of materials and components. The classic model combines seat and back surfaces made of continuous leather material with a steel frame. Slits in the backrest and lacing under the seat enhance seating comfort.
For the new version, the seat shell is made from a material containing a high proportion of recycled leather remnants from the consumer goods industry. The resulting offcuts are processed using a special method and transformed into a new material that is both durable and of high quality.
“In furniture production, leather offcuts typically occur in a variety of colors and qualities,” explains Boris Hessler. “The idea behind the project was to use these leather remnants to create a new seat shell.”
The seat shell of the Cuoio Chair is made from a material developed by NABORE® and marketed under the RELEA® brand. Depending on the material variant, RELEA® is available with a recycled material content of up to 80 percent. The version used in the Cuoio Chair contains more than 60 percent recycled material. For its development of circular materials from leather remnants, NABORE® was awarded the 2026 German Sustainability Prize in the Raw Materials Industry category.
A seat cushion is also available for the Cuoio Lounge Chair. The fabric cover of the seat cushion contains 45 percent recycled wool.
Quality is the deciding factor for showroom use
The project was guided by a clear principle: Choosing a material with recycled content must not come at the expense of quality, comfort or durability.
“Using materials more consciously does not have to look like a compromise,” says Boris Hessler. “A product can be premium in design, durable and suited to everyday use all at the same time. That is precisely the goal behind the Cuoio Chair.”
Boris Hessler, Head of Global Corporate Architecture in Retail Development AUDI AG
From leather offcuts to new seat shell
The development of the Cuoio Chair brings together two Audi projects that were initially pursued independently of one another: Together with NABORE®, Audi Design developed a new material using recycled leather remnants generated at Audi during the development of leather upholstery. At the same time, the Audi Corporate Architecture team explored how materials containing recycled content could be used in furniture for showrooms around the world.
One example was a room divider made from a material manufactured in part from used fishing nets and other marine plastic waste. Building on this experience, the team explored further possibilities within the furniture portfolio. Additional inspiration came from projects focused on the reuse of residual materials from Audi production.
During discussions with Walter Knoll and EOOS, the idea ultimately emerged to use the material developed jointly with NABORE® for a new version of the Cuoio Chair. In this way, Audi Design’s material development activities and Audi Corporate Architecture’s work on new furniture concepts came together. The result is a piece of furniture suitable for everyday use that meets both quality and functional requirements while also demonstrating how recycled leather offcuts can be repurposed.
Audi sales partners worldwide can select the Cuoio Chair from the existing furniture portfolio.
“My hope for the project is that the furniture simply works in the showroom,” says Boris Hessler. “First and foremost, it should impress through its quality and design. At second glance, the Cuoio Chair can also stand out through its exceptional texture and materiality, illustrating how material remnants can be put to meaningful use again.”
