Designer Insights: The Future of Offices
Vol.9 Wooden Furniture in Offices: New Impulses for Sustainability
Introducing wood into office interiors has a positive effect on employees’ wellbeing and it is said to even increase productivity. In the world of office furniture, where large volumes of material are used, timber is now seen as a promising way to address sustainability challenges. Here, we take a look at two of the latest initiatives tackling those challenges head-on.
Both stand out as new approaches to the use of wood, stemming from exceptional forms of collaboration between different companies.
Report by: Yasushi Yamazaki／Journalist
Hokkaido timber brings people together for a new initiative on wooden office furniture
Office furniture manufacturer ITOKI and wooden furniture maker CondeHouse have joined forces to develop furniture together. Since launching their partnership in Hokkaido in 2024, the two companies have been promoting the use of natural wood to create more comfortable offices. Going forward, they plan to roll out this initiative nationwide as well as make use of offcuts and unused parts of their Hokkaido timber for new furniture, with the goal of bringing out products in 2026 and expanding orders thereafter.
“Local timber × design” for the return-to-office era
As offices are being redefined as central spaces that unlock workers’ potential and drive long-term corporate value, ITOKI is offering more than just supply of furniture: it’s delivering office environments with high added value through spatial design and workplace consultancy.
CondeHouse, meanwhile, has been expanding its corporate business in response to Japan’s shrinking housing market, presenting offices where the abundance of wood, including well-regarded wooden furniture, provides a warm atmosphere. Since 2014, the company has increased its use of Hokkaido-grown hardwoods from just 8% to 80% within a decade.
The two companies have therefore begun collaborating to combine their respective strengths in developing new furniture for the office market: ITOKI’s spatial design expertise and ergonomic product development, and CondeHouse’s way of making full use of Hokkaido timber for refined designs and comfort-focused craftsmanship. Hokkaido hardwoods, known for their beautiful grain and natural warmth, are sure to bring both comfort and a sense of pride to office interiors, enhancing wellbeing and corporate identity alike.
Co-creation aiming for product launches in 2026
In recent years, the use of domestic and locally sourced timber has been gaining rapid attention. This is partly due to factors such as soaring import prices following the “wood shock” and the introduction of Japan’s new Forest Environment Tax in 2024. Through this collaboration, ITOKI and CondeHouse are developing new products that make effective use of offcuts and leftover wood generated during CondeHouse’s manufacturing processes. The goal is to make returning to domestic timber and the development of sustainable products reality.
ITOKI and CondeHouse already collaborated on the April 2025 renovation of the construction company Arai Kensetsu’s head office in Asahikawa. In July, members of ITOKI’s design, development and sales teams visited CondeHouse’s factory and timber processing sites in Asahikawa, marking the first step in their product development journey. The goal is to launch new table and desk products in 2026, conducting technical testing and design checks on the incorporation of offcuts and leftover timber in structural components.