An increasingly sustainable Salone

Social, environmental, financial. Sustainability is part of the vision and values that the Salone del Mobile.Milano promotes in the round. The event is a true design and creative laboratory, constantly evolving and ready for the many challenges inherent in contemporary life today. Sustainability is a path: thanks to numerous collaborations, the Salone promotes trail-blazing solutions with people, the community and the environment at their centre, without compromising on the wonder that is celebrated at the fair every year.  

One of the steps along this path in particular consists of the Salone’s desire to monitor and measure its progress in a concrete fashion: achieving ISO 20121 certification in 2023. Issues such as regeneration, reuse, circularity, energy saving, and attention to people and to communities are part of the mission and long-term vision of the event which, as a sectoral leader, is in a position to have positive effects on the industry as a whole. The Salone is a point of reference and a source of inspiration for the sector, committed to promoting an ethical business model, capable of responding intelligently and coherently to the increasingly complex challenges of the future.  

With a view to greater environmental compatibility,  the Salone promotes guidelines defined by encouraging the design and production of installations that have the least possible impact and are designed with an eye to recycling and reuse. On the subject of circularity, the Design Kiosk project, a Salone landmark in the city entrusted to Corraini Edizioni and designed by DWA-Design Studio, was reworked for 2025 by optimising the existing structure. Equally, the Drafting Futures Arena created by Formafantasma, and the epicentre of the cultural programme curated by Annalisa Rosso, Editorial Director & Cultural Events Advisor of the Salone, was the result of a reclamation operation, testifying to the commitment to curbing environmental impact. Sustainability was also the protagonist of the British artist and designer Es Devlin’s site-specific installation Library of Light for the 2025 Salone – the more than 3,000 volumes making up the installation have now been channelled into Milan’s public library system.  

In line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the Salone represents a platform for new ideas, visions and technological innovations  geared to people, to safeguarding diversity, to the environment, the home and to more efficient use of resources. The new products presented by the exhibiting companies embody new visions, exploring new shapes, refined fabrics and innovative materials geared to greater product durability.  

Mobility is also a factor when it comes to cutting environmental impact: the goal of reducing CO2 emissions generated by daily travel is fundamental for the proper functioning of modern cities. The Salone therefore promotes sustainable travel to safeguard the environment, engendering positive effects on health and the economy. The trade fair can be accessed by underground, bus or train, from the airports or in shared taxis, optimising the time available to industry professionals, minimising environmental impact.