At Karup Design, we don’t believe in grand claims or empty words. Instead, we aim to act with sense - a mindset that guides how we design, work, and take responsibility.

For us, sense means choosing materials with care, giving space to new ways of thinking, supporting well-being in our team, and staying mindful of our impact on the environment and our local community.

Whether we’re developing a new product, updating our staff handbook, or rethinking logistics, we return to the same philosophy: take sensible steps, make thoughtful choices, and always give space to what matters.

At Karup, responsibility is not only about materials and products - it is also about people.

We nurture a positive and informal work culture where humour thrives and collaboration feels natural. This spirit connects our employees, suppliers and retailers, creating a strong foundation for long-term partnerships built on trust and mutual respect.

All employees are entitled, and encouraged, to take one annual “mental recharge day” – a paid day off, no questions asked, if they simply need time to reset. We also believe birthdays should be spent with loved ones. Therefore, employees enjoy reduced working hours on their birthday – meet later, leave earlier, celebrate more.

At the same time, we recognise that not everyone has a place to call home, or even a bed to sleep in. To us, it makes sense to act where we can and support those who need it most.

At Karup, the choices we make - from materials and production methods to logistics - play a key role in our overall responsibility as a furniture manufacturer. That is why we continuously strive to make sensible decisions throughout our value chain.

Every single piece of wood used in our furniture is FSC® Mix certified (Forest Stewardship Council®). We primarily source wood from Sweden, Finland and Estonia, supporting responsible forestry and relatively short supply chains. For finishing, we use water-based varnish and paint on all wooden parts.
The filling used in our sofas and futon chairs is primarily made from surplus fibres from textile production, tested according to TÜV Rheinland standards to ensure quality and safety.

Transportation is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in our industry. To reduce our impact, a large part of our collection consists of knock-down furniture. This reduces space during transportation and enables more efficient shipping. By consolidating our warehouse facilities in Poland, we have significantly reduced road transport, resulting in approximately 65,000 fewer miles annually and an estimated reduction of 100 tons of CO₂ emissions year after year.