The InOu four-seater modular sofa. (Image courtesy of Crescent Garden)
The new InOu line from Crescent Garden features UBQ material, combining sustainable design with long-term durability and flexible configurations.
MIAMI — Crescent Garden is expanding its outdoor offerings with InOu, a new modular furniture line designed to combine long-term usability, versatility in design applications and an environmentally conscious approach to materials.
Pronounced “ee-noo,” the InOu collection features four core pieces that can be configured into a variety of seating options, from loveseats to chaise lounges, modular sofas and sectionals. The line blends European-inspired design with rugged construction meant to withstand extreme temperatures, sun exposure and frequent use.
“We wanted to make sure that whatever we did, the materials could be separated and then recycled,” Paula Douer, cofounder and vice president of Crescent Garden, told Furniture Today. “So we like to look at the full lifecycle of a product from beginning to end and how we can make a positive impact, be it in manufacturing and design.”
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UBQ: a unique material
A key element in that sustainability strategy is the use of UBQ, an upcycled bioplastic made from household waste that would otherwise end up in landfills. Crescent Garden combines UBQ with polyethylene in the body of the InOu pieces, creating a durable structure that can be recycled at the end of its life.
“UBQ was an ideal material to kind of work with,” Douer said. “One, because it’s upcycled obviously from landfill waste. And so we’re really making an impact there. But additionally, it can be recycled.”
Douer contrasted this with other recycled materials that are not always recyclable after use: “A lot of people are using refurbished wood and putting that into plastic and just kind of mixing materials together. And that’s great for the product you’re rendering, but then you’re not thinking of the life cycle after the product.”
Crescent Garden has experience working with UBQ from previous planter lines. “We started in injection molding. Now we do it in rotomolding,” she said. “But we’ve incorporated (UBQ) into it so it feels very durable. And it’s a polymer, basically. It’s like a bioplastic. So it acts like a plastic, basically. And then it can be recycled as a plastic.”
InOu also features water-resistant cushions that wick moisture and hand-washable cushion covers that can be removed and replaced, helping extend the useful life of the furniture.
Designed with moving in mind
The flexibility of InOu’s modular design allows the furniture to adapt to changing spaces and lifestyles, whether that means expanding for a larger home or scaling back for a smaller one.
“It’s not just about reconfiguring your space, but having something that kind of grows with you,” Douer said. “So it’s not so much just about like, ‘Oh, I’m gonna change it around today.’ … It’s more about, ‘Let me fit it into the design and exactly what I want.’”
Douer noted that many outdoor products don’t suit compact spaces like balconies or small gardens. “By making it modular and piecemealing it, then you’re able to do that. But if you’ve got a large space, it also fits in and you can add more elements.”
That adaptability also makes the line more appealing to renters or people in transition. “You sometimes want to invest into a nice piece of furniture, but you might not want to because it’s a rented space. And then you’re going to move, and it’s not going to fit. The modularity solves that problem in many cases.”
Retail launch and what’s next
The InOu line is available now through Crescent Garden’s website and will launch through a curated group of retailers in the U.S. and Canada. International distribution is expected to follow.
“We’re definitely targeting premium specialized retailers who kind of have the feel for our design, for our aesthetic,” Douer said. “We’re starting in the U.S. and Canada with the furniture, but soon, hopefully, we’ll start to venture into Europe, where we sell our planters as well, and Latin America.”
More modular accessories are already on the way. “We are launching a little side table that connects to the furniture,” she said. “So we’re really excited about that. … It makes it another element to have connected to the seating.”