OkaTerra | Grand Rapids, MI

Written By Erin Grimm

The Team: OkaTerra is a furniture brand engaging with a supply chain network of farmers, sawyers, and mills who produce materials in a regenerative way. The design studio behind OkaTerra, Common Object, was founded upon a shared passion for exploring how sustainability, materiality, and community can drive value in design. The team is rethinking the furniture system to support people and planet. OkaTerra’s first supply chain network was set up in and around Baltimore – partnering with two hemp farms in Maryland, a regenerative farm in Pennsylvania, a fallen lumber sawyer in Baltimore, and a non-profit partner in manufacturing training people in inner-city Baltimore.

NextCycle Michigan Project: OkaTterra seeks to establish a regenerative network creating climate-beneficial, regenerative-material furniture in Michigan. They will source materials from local small farms and waste materials (like waste wool, hemp and fallen lumber) and utilize the non-profit sector to engage underserved communities offering job training and employment opportunities in material processing and furniture production. During NextCycle Michigan, the team will work with coaches to refine the business plan, connect with potential partners, and identify funding pathways. This project will divert materials from landfills, create jobs, and support Michigan’s small regenerative farms.

Additional Information:

Erin Grimm
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