Each year a staggering 51 million tons of furniture is produced. In Europe alone, the furniture industry employs approximately 1 million people and generates €96 billion. The advent of mechanized production, assembly lines and new materials has transformed the once-artisanal craft of furniture making into a global business.
The dramatic growth of mass-produced furniture has had mixed impacts. On the one hand, furniture is now more affordable and accessible than ever before. On the other, pieces are typically of lower quality, durability and individuality than earlier creations. The shorter lifecycle of modern furniture also has serious environmental impacts: each year, over 48 million tons of furniture is discarded.
Stylish and sustainable furniture
business since it was established in 1970.
(Image: Žan Kavčič)
One company unwilling to follow the trend toward mass production and waste is Kavčič Furniture. Since 1970, this family-owned business has been handcrafting unique pieces of furniture from their workshop in the hills west of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Over three generations, the Kavčič family has established a reputation for combining traditional craftsmanship with contemporary designs to produce pieces that are stylish and sustainable.
“Sustainability is at the core of our mission,” says Žan Kavčič, co-founder and creative director at the company. “We craft furniture from locally sourced Slovenian hardwood, avoiding artificial and non-durable materials and avoiding transport as much as possible. We avoid waste wherever possible. Offcuts are used for smaller products and even sawdust is compressed into briquettes for heating.”
Intellectual property support for SMEs
The protection of intellectual property (IP) is integral to the design and manufacture of furniture. Until recently, however, Kavčič Furniture’s IP portfolio consisted only of an EU trademark for the company name. “Our understanding of IP was basic,” admits Žan. “We knew trademarks and patents existed, but not the full scope of design rights or their value.” As a result, the company’s creations – such as “Hangy”, a unique storage solution – were at risk from copycats.
Fortunately, Žan learned about WIPO’s IP Management Clinic (IPMC) while giving the first public presentation of Hangy at a Slovenian interior design fair. The IPMC program provides small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) free professional IP mentoring and training to leverage their IP to enhance business growth, both at home and overseas. The IPMC attended by Žan, which ran from June to September 2024, was a collaboration between WIPO and the European Union Intellectual Property Office, with the specific aim of helping European SMEs in the furniture industry.
Establishing an intellectual property strategy
“The IPMC was amazing and transformative,” says Žan. “The structured curriculum, group discussions and one-on-one mentorship provided a level of clarity we had not experienced before.” It was during the four-month program that the enormous potential of industrial designs became clear to Žan. “Our mentor helped us develop an action plan to leverage our EU design registration, consider potential licensing opportunities and prepare for international expansion.”
More broadly, the training and mentorship inspired a new approach to IP at Kavčič Furniture. “The IPMC reshaped our mindset from reactive IP use to strategic IP planning,” continues Žan. “We now understand that IP is a growth asset and a foundation for scaling and protecting yourself, the company and products. It boosts brand value, opens doors to partnerships and enables defensible market expansion.”
Built to last
for its unique storage solution, Hangy – shown
here in three sizes with Žan Kavčič.
(Image: Žan Kavčič)
Žan and his colleagues are now putting these ideas into practice. The company is planning to register designs for new modular furniture lines as well as exploring expanding design protection for Hangy to the United Kingdom, United States and possibly China. Kavčič Furniture is also looking to expand its trademark portfolio to better protect the business and support its growth. “IP will be central as we enter design competitions, engage with showrooms and seek licensing or investor partnerships,” concludes Žan.
The company’s new IP strategy and drive is already attracting recognition. Less than a year after completing the IPMC, Kavčič Furniture was announced as a finalist in the 2025 WIPO Global Awards, which recognizes SMEs and startups using IP to create positive economic and social impact, and the 2025 DesignEuropa Awards, celebrating the best in European design. These acknowledgments endorse not only Kavčič Furniture as a growing company but its ethos: that furniture can – and should – be durable, stylish, practical and, most of all, sustainable.
