Montana acquires sustainable furniture maker Takt

Montana has announced its buyout of fellow Danish design brand Takt, known for its solid wood furniture and pioneering approach to sustainable design.

Founded in 2019 by trained physicist and former Lego and Bang & Olufsen executive Henrik Taudorf Lorensen, Takt makes modern Scandinavian furniture from FSC-certified wood that is low-carbon, flat-pack and designed for disassembly.

Its future launches and existing catalogue, including products such as the Cross chair by British design duo Pearson Lloyd and Anderssen & Voll’s Spoke sofa, will now be sold under the collection name Takt by Montana.

Takt's Henrik Taudorf Lorensen and Montana's Joakim Lassen — Montana’s Joakim Lassen (right) acquired Takt from Henrik Taudorf Lorensen (left)

Montana CEO Joakim Lassen said he hopes they will act as an understated counterpart to Montana’s existing selection of colourful modular furniture – including the Montana System storage – and bring valuable learnings about sustainability to the table.

“Takt brings experience with materials and the environment, and we are looking forward to bringing our respective experience together and taking this work even further,” he said.

Takt is known for its ambitious approach to sustainability, focused on driving down emissions primarily through the design of its products rather than operational cuts, to become net zero by 2030.

Lilac sofa in Scandi-style interior — Takt’s products include the Spoke sofa

The company assesses the carbon footprint of its products throughout their entire lifecycle using the EU’s Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) single score, in a bid to bring down its emissions, and claims to be the only design brand to consistently have all of its products marked with the EU Ecolabel.

“I have a background as a scientist, so it was important to me to start measuring things,” Lorensen told Dezeen during our Carbon Revolution series. “The starting point was to get a grasp of the impact of the choices we’re making.”

Lorensen will join Montana Furniture’s board, sharing his experience and perspective on sustainability, while Takt employees will be integrated into Montana’s organisation “as far as possible”, the company said.

By gaining access to the established, international infrastructure of Montana, which has been operating since 1982, Lorensen hopes that Takt’s furniture will be able to reach a larger audience.

“The past few years have been an exciting and instructive journey for TAKT,” he said. “We have built a brand where materials and the environment have been central, and we have collaborated with a number of talented and celebrated designers. “

“Now it is time for TAKT’s next chapter, and we are delighted that it will be written together with Montana.”