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<p>Text: Charlotte Ravnholt | Photos: Nadia Chafra and Emil Lyders</p>
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<p>The new Danish design brand <em>Design Preowned</em> perfectly illustrates the paradigm shift happening in the furniture industry. By preserving, repairing, and renovating existing furniture and reselling it to restaurants, bars, hotels, and offices, this young company takes an important step in the fight against climate change. Behind the visionary startup is 23-year-old Edward Gubi.<br>This is a story about reuse.<br>About design heritage and family legacy.</p>
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<p><strong>Redefining Reuse</strong></p>
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<p>“Preowned” rhymes with everything that tops today’s agenda. Put “pre-” or “re-” in front of a word and it becomes more relevant than ever: repair, rethink, rebuild, reimagine, recraft, reborn, renew, reinvent, reuse, recycle, restore, redefine, remake, resale, relove. Especially in the Danish furniture industry, which is currently transitioning to a greener and more circular future with designs that have minimal climate impact. This transformation—the breakthrough—is led by the younger generation. They are environmentally conscious, idealistic, value-driven, and think in activist and almost philanthropic terms. They want to make a difference. They carry messages—about respect, ethics, responsibility, and trust. For them, sustainability is a given, not a requirement. And 23-year-old Edward Gubi is a prime example of his generation.</p>
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<p>He founded Design Preowned in 2024 with the vision and philosophy of giving overlooked or forgotten furniture new life and an additional 20–30 years of use. Edward scouts, curates, and purchases the pieces no one else wants. So you won’t find the Egg, the Ant, or the Swan here. But these are still pieces that deserve a longer life—dust-covered and sitting in the corners of large second-hand halls. He finds them at auctions, online platforms, and estate sales, and even buys “furniture scrap” directly from manufacturers—surplus materials and production waste that he upcycles.</p>
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<p>One example is the <em>Design no. 1</em> table, co-designed with Kvist Industries and made from waste wood from the Danish factory.<br>“Materials with minor defects are disqualified, discarded, and destroyed. Design Preowned tries to save all the materials that don’t pass the standard quality checks of the established furniture industry. It’s crazy that there are over 90 million tons of furniture waste globally each year!” says Edward Gubi.</p>
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<p><strong>Making Forgotten Furniture Matter Again</strong></p>
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<p>Edward mainly works with Scandinavian furniture—primarily chairs, bar stools, and lounge seating—refreshing and recontextualizing them for modern spaces and new generations.</p>
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<p>“By renovating instead of discarding, we reduce waste, save resources, and minimize environmental impact. Materials that would otherwise end up in landfills or incinerators get a new chance in a new context,” he explains.</p>
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<p>In a time where sustainability, circularity, and responsible consumption matter more than ever, repairs play a crucial role. Instead of discarding a used chair and burdening the environment with a new one, Design Preowned’s chairs go through a careful and eco-friendly transformation that preserves their original beauty. Several companies are doing this. What’s new is that Edward doesn’t sell to private customers—you and me—but directly to B2B and contract markets. Design Preowned offers interior architects and designers a sustainable alternative by integrating preowned furniture or Edward’s own upcycled designs into their projects. They also offer restoration, renovation, and reupholstery services for existing corporate furniture, and deliver custom pieces for specific projects, including several street food concepts and a planned collaboration for Copenhagen Fashion Week.</p>
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<p>For many, decorating with reuse is becoming a bold statement—and a bonus: it creates a more personal, quirky atmosphere where furniture doesn’t need to match perfectly. This mindset especially resonates with the fashion industry.</p>
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<p><strong>From Tomato Scraps to Design Breakthroughs</strong></p>
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<p>Edward got the idea for Design Preowned last Easter while browsing auction sites, hoping to “make a bit of extra money” flipping furniture. As the name suggests, he was born into a family of design and art, with a deep-rooted passion for aesthetics. He follows in the footsteps of his grandparents, who founded GUBI in the 1970s, and his father and uncle, who also have decades of experience in the design world.</p>
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<p>Edward, however, has worked as a chef since his early teens. He’s dyslexic and struggled to sit still in school—but he was creative and loved cooking. He started working for Michelin-starred chef Francis Cardenau at Restaurant Sommelier in Copenhagen and later became sous-chef at Famo Saxo, where he still works 3–4 days a week while devoting the rest of his time to his startup.</p>
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<p>He shares a small anecdote about slicing tomatoes for sauce in a restaurant kitchen, instinctively discarding the “bad” ones. His chef told him to use the good parts and discard the rest—that a great sauce could still be made. That moment stuck with him. Since then, he’s always challenged himself creatively: <em>What can I do with the leftovers?</em></p>
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<p><strong>A Workshop in Nordhavn and a Grand Vision</strong></p>
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<p>Edward started with eight chairs. Today, he runs an ambitious business with a workshop and a large warehouse in Nordhavn.<br>“I love the Nordhavn freetown vibe—with carpenters and craftsmen focused on eco-friendly processes and circular economy. I’ve learned a lot by watching over their shoulders. And of course, I’ve leaned on my family too,” says Edward.</p>
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<p>He admits his last name and family network made things a bit easier when reaching out to industry contacts. But good connections mean nothing without the right vision. His grandmother, Lisbeth Gubi, has also invested in Design Preowned—because turning a good idea into a good business takes real capital and effort.</p>
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<p><strong>Craft Over Name Recognition</strong></p>
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<p>Design Preowned focuses exclusively on beautiful, timeless, quality furniture, especially mid-century design by lesser-known names. It all started with Henning Kjærnulf’s “razor blade chair” from the 1960s—crafted in oak with curved, blade-shaped backrests.</p>
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<p>“I work with reuse, not vintage or high-end design art. I care more about the design than the designer's name. I trust my own filter and buy only what I personally like and can picture in a cool setting,” says Edward, who has a knack for spotting future must-haves.</p>
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<p>There’s something raw and unfiltered—almost dogmatic—about his approach. What you see is what you get. He even buys old school furniture—and sometimes finds 40-year-old gum stuck underneath.</p>
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<p>Every piece tells a story, and patina is an essential part of their identity. All furniture is chosen with respect for great design and craftsmanship.</p>
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<p>Design Preowned’s pieces are often priced comparably to IKEA, but you’re getting solid oak furniture that’s 60–100 years old—even up to 125 in some cases.</p>
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<p>“There are many hospitality businesses, like restaurants, that don’t have big budgets. With us, everyone can join in—and it’s also just cozier with unique, mismatched pieces. More casual, more urban, less uniform. We’re also developing combo menus so people can buy a whole setting if they’re unsure how to mix and match,” says Edward.</p>
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<p><strong>A Call to Action for the Furniture Industry</strong></p>
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<p>The furniture industry has been struggling in recent years, especially with the green transition. But if more people looked over Edward’s shoulder—let materials and availability guide design instead of cutting down more trees—the industry could make a real difference in the climate crisis.<br>“Design will save the world” is a familiar slogan—and one Edward Gubi fully embraces.</p>
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<p>With Design Preowned’s sustainable reuse model, you invest in a greener future without compromising aesthetics or function.<br>“Our short-term goal is to achieve 98% carbon neutrality in our entire production,” Edward says.</p>
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<p>The Gubi family can confidently pass the torch. Sixty years of design legacy continues in the hands of a young man with exactly the right ambitions…</p>
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<p><strong>Box 1: The Gubi Family</strong><br>For five decades, the Gubi family has left its mark on Danish furniture. Edward’s grandparents, Lisbeth and Gubi Olsen, founded the Danish design brand GUBI, now a global design house. GUBI is known for both contemporary creations and reviving archival pieces. Gubi Olsen (1947–2023), born Bjarke Gudmond Olsen, studied at Den Permanente Udstilling and founded GUBI in 1967 at age 20 with Lisbeth. GUBI became a brand in 1976. After a generational transition, their son Jacob took over. In 2018, the private equity fund Axcel acquired a majority stake in a billion-kroner deal. Edward’s great-grandfather was painter Gudmund Olsen (1913–1985), so art also runs in the family. As a poetic gesture, Edward included a paper airplane in the Design Preowned logo—an image from his great-grandfather’s paintings—symbolizing resilience. A paper plane always gets picked up, its wings adjusted, and sent off again.</p>
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<p><strong>Box 2: Design Preowned at 3daysofdesign</strong><br>During <em>3daysofdesign</em>, Edward Gubi is opening a pop-up restaurant on the 4th floor of Frederiksgade 1 — the festival’s epicenter. The restaurant will feature an eclectic mix of <em>Design Preowned</em> furniture — mismatched chairs and tables — and artworks by Edward’s great-grandfather, Gudmund Olsen, on loan from the family collection. Here, Edward demonstrates how classic yet unknown preowned pieces can be integrated into modern interiors alongside furniture made from scrap materials. Expect a warm, personality-filled space where history and craftsmanship go hand in hand. Vegan tastings from the Indian fusion chef Enayat Safi (known from <em>Dhaba</em> and <em>Go’ Morgen Danmark</em> on TV2) will be served. Capacity: 30 guests. All are welcome.<br>More info: <a class="" href="http://www.3daysofdesign.dk">www.3daysofdesign.dk</a> | <a class="" href="http://www.designpreowned.com">www.designpreowned.com</a></p>
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<p><strong>Box 3: Step-by-Step Process</strong><br><em>Design Preowned</em> leads the push for a greener furniture industry with a clear goal: zero deforestation and zero wood waste. Every step is designed to reduce climate impact and eventually achieve carbon neutrality.</p>
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<li><strong>Pickup from seller:</strong> Using eco-friendly packaging where possible. Transported to the Nordhavn warehouse using low-emission vehicles and Green Choice logistics. Large batches are moved efficiently to reduce unnecessary trips and overall CO₂ emissions.</li>
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<li><strong>Quality check:</strong> Thorough inspection to assess needed repairs.</li>
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<li><strong>Repairs:</strong> Structural or surface damage is fixed using reclaimed wood rather than new materials. Only furniture with detachable seats is bought to save energy and cost on transport.</li>
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<li><strong>Cleaning:</strong> Items are washed with probiotics and disinfected using 100% biodegradable, chemical-free cleaning products.</li>
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<li><strong>Refinishing:</strong> Unvarnished pieces are sanded, repaired, and oiled.</li>
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<li><strong>Upholstery:</strong> Seats are sent to a factory in Poland that works with Danish furniture. Though not 100% climate-neutral, the existing logistics make it the best solution. Natural materials are used: second- or third-grade leather from B Corp-certified Sørensen Leather or sheepskin from Skandilock. Textile scraps may be added in the future.</li>
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<li><strong>Final inspection:</strong> Each piece undergoes final quality control. The process is digitally logged and tied to a unique product ID, providing transparency and a traceable history. This tracking will form the basis of future ESG reports and carbon accounting.</li>
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