“Disrupt more, waste less, and act better” @ Stockholm Furniture Fair Talks 2025

Stockholm Furniture Fair Talks 2025 brings together some of the leading voices in the design and architecture industry. Curated in collaboration with Dezeen and Designo Journal, the programme features prominent names such as Faye Toodgood, Ineke Hans, Ini Archibong as well as Snøhetta, Schemata Architects and Clap Studio.

This year’s Stockholm Furniture Fair Talks welcomes industry leaders to discuss the most pressing issues of our time. The setting—PAPER BAR—designed entirely from paper by the Helsinki-based design studio Fyra (who will also give a keynote on the process behind it), couldn’t be more fitting. It provides the perfect space to reflect on themes such as materials of the future, the “AI-volution,” and the display of design during a time of climate crisis.

According to Daniel Heckscher, director of the Stockholm Furniture Fair, SFF Talks addresses a vital need in the industry: creating forums where visionary minds come together to share thought-provoking ideas.

“In the near future, and for coming generations, we need more thinkers and doers of all kinds,” he says. “People who are willing to sit down and have the tough conversations, solve problems together in unison, and build something real. And even more so, we need the people who inspire the rest of us, feeding the industry with creative thoughts and injecting that energy into the heart of the business, to stand up and share their voice.”

The programme, spanning five days, includes keynotes, Q&A sessions, and panel discussions featuring over 30 speakers, aiming to spark dialogue and inspire action. Highlights include a keynote by this year’s Guest of honour, British designer Faye Toogood, who will explore the role of craft in a digital age in conversation with Cajsa Carlson, deputy editor of Dezeen. This talk aligns with Toogood’s installation MANUFRACTURE, where she opens up her private archive to question the value of design and the craftsmanship behind objects.

Memory of space, Design disruption and AI-volution

The themes at this year’s fair are diverse, yet they converge on key challenges facing the industry. How can design become more disruptive and less wasteful? Max Fraser, editorial director of Dezeen, will moderate the discussion DESIGN DISRUPTION with designer and educator Ineke Hans, who advocates for disrupting more, wasting less, and acting better.

Other panel discussions curated by Dezeen include MATERIALS OF THE FUTURE, featuring Natsai Audrey Chieza, founder and CEO of Faber Futures, and Celine Sandberg, CEO of Agoprene. They will explore how innovative approaches to materials are shaping their work and enabling a shift toward a circular economy. Additionally, the panel AI-VOLUTION will examine how AI is revolutionizing the design process, with contributions from Caroline Till, co-founder of the futures research agency FranklinTill, and Alexandra Zenner, creative strategy lead at ventures hub Gharage.

Oli Stratford, editor-in-chief of Disegno Journal, will lead conversations on THE MEMORY OF SPACE, which will explore the preservation and recreation of architecture, and INSTALLATION, which examines how design can be displayed in the future. Speakers include Katarina Bonnevier, co-founder of Mycket; and Marcia Harvey Isaksson, designer and curator. Disegno will also host a talk by designer Ini Archibong, who will reflect on the significance of storytelling and cultural exploration in creating luxury design.

Other highlights of the week include keynotes by Marius Myking, Director of Product Design at Snøhetta, Jo Nagasaka, founder of Tokyo-based Schemata Architects, and Jordi Iranzo and Àngela Montagud, founders of Valencia-based design agency Clap Studio.