Barbara Piplits-Schneider fell in love with TEAM 7 furniture as a customer, but that was only the beginning of the intercontinental friendship. MGB asked her about the product, and about why it is that green practices seem to be more prevalent among our European cousins.
How did you happen to discover Team 7?
Five years ago my family and I moved into a newly built home, and shortly after that my two kids developed allergy and asthma symptoms. After an odyssey of doctors and allergy testing, their allergist told me that my kids are sensitive to chemicals which are prevalent in most homes: in the building materials, carpets, paints, cleaning detergents, furniture and so on. So I started researching this topic.
I was shocked when I found out that according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, indoor levels of pollutants may be two to five times higher than outdoor – sometimes even more than that. That is where we spend most of our time, at home, in school, in the office, in hotel rooms, conference rooms, in restaurants, stores, on travels.
I began to look for sources of furniture that were safe and well designed. I found very little, until I finally found the Austrian solid wood manufacturer TEAM 7. They’re not a newcomer to the green movement- they’re a fifty year old company, green since the 1980s, and certified as an ecologically responsible manufacturer. Their philosophy of environmental responsibility has made TEAM 7 the most successful and reliable manufacturer of green, non-toxic furniture in the world.
We were so impressed that we- my husband and I and our partner Daniel Galindau- began to represent TEAM 7 in the USA.
Why does Europe often seem to be ahead of the US in terms of 'green' consciousness? Is it a cultural thing or what?
I think it’s a mix of cultural, economic and political reasons. Oil shocks in the seventies and eighties taught Europe a valuable lesson about dependency on foreign countries, and at the same time the green movement was moving from “muesli extremists” to a broader audience. What was compelling about the green movement in Europe was that it was understood to be about quality - quality of life, quality of nature, quality of products, quality of jobs, and so on. These values are very important for Europeans. It also included wanting your children to have a better life – a better education, a cleaner environment, cleaner water to drink, cleaner lakes to swim in, cleaner air to breathe, green forests to walk in. Especially, you don’t leave your kids a planet in peril.
Energy and water were, and still are, much more expensive in Europe than they are in the States. These basic economic facts make you think twice about wasting scarce and/or expensive resources.
I’ll offer the Austrian experience as an illustration. In the late 80s/early 90s, recycling of glass, paper, and plastics and separating of organic waste became mandatory in Austria. Austrians, and I can speak only for Austrians here, are typically very apprehensive regarding rules or authorities, not easily convinced. (Quite often I catch myself telling my kids, for example, that rules in school are there to be followed- but only if they make sense.)
So the Austrian government started a huge educational campaign to explain why everyone needs to recycle. Over time, Austrians could see the results of stricter environmental laws. I remember a little stream behind the house where I grew up that stank incredibly and had foam on its surface- not a good sign. Now the water is completely clear and you can see fish swimming in it.
Leaders in business and politics realize that Austria- and Europe- can’t compete with low labor cost countries on price. Our advantages are our technical know how, educated work force and excellent infrastructure. So European business and political leaders saw the green movement as a chance to become world market leaders in new, green technologies and industries, and, ultimately, as a way to find new business opportunities for Europe even if stricter environmental laws do mean higher costs for companies.
TEAM 7 is an excellent example. As early as 1980, they began to completely turn away from conventional methods of furniture production., completely abandoning the use of chemicals, hazardous materials and wasteful conventional manufacturing techniques. Their vision was to produce a line of extraordinary, award winning furniture, using only natural materials and processes that respected the environment and protected the health and well-being of their customers.
In 1996 TEAM 7 was awarded the European Business Award for the Environment by the European Union, and since 1999 TEAM 7 has been certified by the Austrian Ecological Quality Certification as an ecologically responsible manufacturer. In 2008, TEAM 7 furniture won two reddot design awards and was twice merit winner BEST of YEAR Product Design by Interior Design Magazine.
How does a green mindset influence furniture design choices?
Green design is design that goes beyond being just attractive, efficient, on time and on budget. It is design that cares about HOW such goals are achieved, about the effect of that design on people living or working in these buildings, and on the environment as a whole.
There are so many different shades of green and there is also a lot of green-washing of products. For me, a green product is one which has an environmental AND a health benefit. I stress AND so much, because often products are considered green because they are made from renewable resources, or recycled, and yet can still cause harm to our health.
To be truly green, furniture- or any other product- must be made of non-toxic and low VOC materials, from natural, renewable sources, with responsible labor - no sweatshops or child labor. It must be of durable quality and timeless design, and contain recycled or recyclable content.
What's in the future for Batinau?
We at Batinau/TEAM 7 USA are committed to representing high-design furniture and accessory collections that also clearly commit to the principles of Green Design. Style, a healthy indoor environment and sustainable furniture production can go hand in hand - you don’t need to compromise, you can have it all.
Three years ago Batinau started to distribute TEAM 7 in the United States. At the moment TEAM 7 furniture is available through independent furniture showrooms nationwide. Last November, we opened our first stand-alone TEAM 7 showroom in Miami. We educate our showroom partners about Green Design and encourage them to invite customers and designers to Green furniture presentations, to spread the knowledge about Green Design. I also write a monthly newsletter/blog about TEAM 7 design news and environmental news. You can sign up for it on our website (www.team7usa.com) In the future we want to open more TEAM 7 only stores where we can offer customers and designers a one stop place for all their design needs.
The advantages of TEAM 7 furniture are so convincing and the furniture pieces are so well designed that 90 % of our clients are coming back for more. A customer, for example, started with a TEAM 7 bed, and came back for dining room furniture and a new library and entertainment center for the living room. That is what I love about TEAM 7 furniture – it hooks you up with Green Design even when you just love the style and the craftsmanship.
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