Case Study

Luxmy Furniture

What are some of the key sustainability aspects of your business and products?

Starting as a small Australian made and owned workshop over 20 years ago, Luxmy has grown using a locally and environmentally sustainable business model from the get-go. As a result, we’re one of the first to adopt the E0 board as a standard, have ISO14001 and Chain of Custody certification, simultaneously introduced solar power and power saving upgrades to our facility, and continue to champion locally designed, made and sourced wherever possible.

We are always coming up with new ways to minimise our footprint while maximising the lifespan and effectiveness of what leaves our doors through engineering and process innovations. Introducing our GECA certified Luxboard as the first melamine board with a fully recycled E0 substrate to the Australian market is just another step in that direction.

Why did you choose to get GECA certification?

Obtaining GECA certification helps clients with ease of choosing Green Star compatible products in their projects. It also has the added benefit of the assurance that the materials and processes used in our products have been assessed by a trusted third party to be environmentally and socially sustainable. Our natural business model also aligns with the practices GECA seeks in the businesses they certify, making it an easy decision for Luxmy to join in.

How important is certification to you? And how do you use it in your customer marketing?

Certification assures our customers through third party assessment and gives us a chance to review ourselves in the process for any possible ways to improve. However, certification is only one part of our larger sustainability story. We are constantly working on improving our practices and educating clients on sustainable practices while considering the real-world time and cost considerations they face.

What’s changed for you since going through the certification process?

While all parts under GECA can be reused and recycled, bringing that message to market conveniently and cost-effectively has been one of the biggest challenges. While we’re continually investigating, we’ve added the service of recycling particleboard even if the original source was not from us.

Tell us about your new product, Luxboard. What makes it sustainably innovative?

Luxboard has the unique combination of being a locally made low-pressure melamine board with a 100% recycled high moisture resistant E0 substrate.

Products certified under GECA’s Panel Boards standard can contribute to achieving credit points for projects being certified under the Green Building Council of Australia’s Green Star Performance tool. They are also recognised by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council’s IS rating scheme. Luxboard maximises credits by addressing indoor quality, waste and sustainability requirements, while the choice of surface décor ensure design options.

Not only does it eliminate landfill at the end of life and eliminate potential landfill through recycling, but its E0 emissions rating ensures the long-term health of its end users. Furthermore, as a commercial-grade particleboard in a range of decorative melamine surface options, Luxboard can be used in a variety of joinery and furniture applications without compromising design intent, durability and longevity.

We have also managed to achieve all of this without a green tax to promote its usage and remove economic barriers where potential clients may have had that constraint but wanted to participate in more sustainable practices.