Rita Rist, purchasing manager of Estonian company Softrend, talks about why Softrend decided to go for EU Ecolabel certification. Basically, it opened up new opportunities: not having this certification was excluding the company from certain markets.

Once they were Ecolabel-certified, their products were much more attractive to architects and the public sector, particularly in Scandinavia. The process did require some action on their part (removing toxic materials, making processes more efficient and designing out waste) but the benefits out weighed the costs.

Their business model has incorporated circular economy principles: under their New Life warranty, customers can return their old sofa and get 50% of the cost back. The sofas are then refurbished and sold second hand. Parts are also kept in stock and products are repaired as needed.

The video was produced as part of the Why Campaign (2025-2027). Featuring success stories from across Europe, the videos aim to raise awareness of why businesses choose the EU Ecolabel scheme and to highlight the benefits of obtaining and holding the certification.