How We Built A Modern Sustainable Dining Table Affordably In America

Dining tables are where we gather, laugh, argue, throw food, and grow closer to one another. They are central to the rhythms of daily life.

When we set out to develop our modern dining table we asked: could we create a timeless and inviting table where people would not only want to eat but linger? Could it also be attainably priced, environmentally sustainable, and made in America?

We knew it would be challenging. For starters, could we develop the right design? Find U.S. manufacturers willing to work with a young, unproven company? Source sustainable materials that meet our quality standards? Streamline supply chain logistics to minimize carbon emissions, reduce costs, and deliver on the promise of affordability.

The first break came when I reconnected with multidisciplinary designer Christopher Douglas. In the early-2000s, Christopher introduced the Knock-Down, Drag-Out furniture collection for his own brand, Material Furniture. His flat-pack furniture was stripped to its essentials, designed to be taken apart, yet playful in its interweaving of clean lines and gracefully proportioned curves. A dining table anchored the collection (image below).

Acclaim came quickly within the modern design world. In 2006, The Cooper Hewitt selected Christopher and Material Furniture for exhibition in the museum's widely influential National Design Triennial.

In 2007, Time Magazine named Christopher to its Style & Design 100.

When Christopher signed on with Simbly to have us reintroduce the dining table to design enthusiasts, we knew we'd found the right product to anchor our first capsule furniture collection. The table’s modern flat-pack design still feels fresh, relevant, and timeless.

Above: the current Simbly Dining Table with our Simbly Bench and Simbly Stool / End Table

The original dining table was made using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) wood, which we've also selected for the current version. FSC is the gold standard for wood certification - ensuring that the material we use has been sustainably harvested and sourced from forests where responsible forestry management practices are in place that support ecosystem sustainability, biodiversity and long-term environmental, social and economic benefit.

Also honoring the original design, we make the dining table using ApplePly, a premium, hardwood plywood that’s been made exclusively in Eugene, Oregon by States Industries since first introduced in the 1980s. It's the highest quality, furniture-grade plywood in the industry. We affectionately think of AppePly as the Roger Federer of plywoods - a peerless combination of style, strength, longevity, and grace-under-pressure (details of AppePly's exposed edge, a design feature, and lustrous wood texture below).

We upgraded the hidden fastening mechanisms built into the table that make assembly and dis-assembly simple and easy. This is a key design feature because, once assembled, nothing about the dining table's design and finish gives away that it actually requires assembly.

Assembly itself requires no screws, no hardware, and no wasted weekends trying to figure out how to put the thing together or take it apart. All you need - and all it arrives with - is a small Allen key. A few twists to tighten and you’re all set (see how assembly works in the video below).

The final piece of the equation was determining where to manufacture. Our hope was that by living in Asheville, NC, and in close proximity to a region once proudly known as the furniture-making capital of the world, we could identify a local manufacturer willing to work with us.

Many things make Asheville unique. From a business perspective, with a population of 90,000 people and a rich tradition of craftsmanship across numerous manufacturing industries, Asheville is big enough to grow and attract companies of all sizes and small enough for everyone to know each other.

It didn't take long to find a family-owned factory in Hendersonville, NC - about 20 minutes from Asheville - where an entrepreneurially-minded father-son leadership team was enthusiastic about the project (making Simbly furniture at our factory in Hendersonville, below).

When you buy a table the most important thing you care about is the table. But when we make a table, we're focused on making sure it arrives at your doorstep in perfect condition. Here too we localized our supply chain by identifying a furniture box and packaging manufacturer located just ten minutes from the furniture factory.

The pieces were finally in place to implement our direct-to-consumer business model to minimize costs and pass the savings along to our customers. This means we ship our dining table directly from the Hendersonville factory to our customers. In so doing, we’ve cut out multiple layers of distribution, wholesale, and logistics costs that conspire to make furniture expensive.

I’ve loved the dining table for over a decade. It was the focal point of my Greenpoint apartment in Brooklyn years ago (when that apartment also did double-duty as a showroom for my first sustainable furniture company, Vivavi -- a story for another day).

Working with Christopher to reintroduce the dining table through Simbly creates a new opportunity to showcase how design and sustainability can merge to create delight and elevate our lifestyles.

Want to know more about Simbly? Also see:

FSC Certified ApplePly: Our Go-To Sustainable Furniture Material

Simbly Selected for West Elm's Local Maker's Program

Simbly Rapid Assembly and Dis-Assembly