TIMELINE

UMAGE introduced Hope leather, a chrome-free leather that was GRS and OEKO-TEX® certified. This innovation highlighted our commitment to sustainability by offering a high-quality, eco-friendly leather alternative that benefited both our customers and the planet.

In 2023, we set our first official Code of Conduct in motion, forming the cornerstone of our corporate ethos. It encapsulated our unwavering dedication to transparency and respect for all stakeholders, ensuring that our business operations consistently upheld ethical standards and promoted fairness, sustainability, and accountability in every decision.

SMV:Grøn is a Danish State initiative supporting small and medium-sized companies in their steps towards a green transition for the environment. This second collaboration focused on conducting detailed Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) to evaluate the environmental impact of our products. The SMV:Grøn program, which began in 2023, is to be concluded by the summer of 2024, aiming to enhance our sustainability strategies.

In 2023, we made a significant step towards sustainability by initiating our first order with a European supplier based in Poland, from where products are meticulously crafted from FSC-certified wood, aligning perfectly with our commitment to environmental responsibility. This move signified our dedication to moving parts of our production to Europe, reducing our carbon footprint, and promoting sustainable practices.

In 2022, we started the self-assessment process of becoming B-Corp certified to solidify our dedication to social and environmental accountability. B-Corp uphold rigorous standards, ensuring our business operated ethically, prioritized sustainability, and contributed positively to society and the environment.

In 2022, we transitioned into shipping our products, solely in currogated cardboard eliminating our reusable packaging, introduced in 2020, since data showed that not enough customers chose to save the reusable boxes for storage as intended. This meant that where we thought we would save the world resources by helping the customers repurpose the packaging, we were doing the opposite.

SMV:Grøn is a Danish State initiative supporting small and medium-sized companies in their steps towards a green transition for the environment. In April 2022, we began our first project with SMV:Grøn project, focusing on developing a sustainability strategy and collecting various master data for Scope 1 and 2.

In our efforts to move towards a more sustainable future, UMAGE exchanged all existing textiles in our collection for a new 100% recycled and certified textile. The Horizons textile is recycled from plastic waste and reused for a new purpose in the design of our comfortable chairs and charming cabinets at UMAGE.

UMAGE moved into a new office and opened a new 400 sq. meter showroom in a building from 1866, nestled in the historical parts of Copenhagen by the harbour front in Havnegade 29. The location offered excellent views of the Copenhagen Canal, often inspiring for a team morning swim.

Our furniture and lighting designs were crafted for durability, but life sometimes leaves its marks. That’s why all designs can be separated into key elements for recycling and worn parts can be replaced to extend the life of the designs. In 2021, we extended our online available spare part collection.

The feathers from the Eos collection were certified with the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) for the first time, ensuring ethical sourcing and humane treatment of birds. With this commitment, we are prioritizing sustainability and animal welfare, offering products you could trust and feel good about. The RDS certification is renewed on a yearly basis.

In 2020, we started collaborating with One Tree Planted, planting trees for every wooden product sold. Together, we are committed to environmental conservation, fostering a greener future and positively impacting our planet. Since then, we’ve planted 66.577 trees.

In alignment with our commitment to multifunctionality, we introduced packaging that served as gift boxes and storage solutions. Customers no longer needed to discard their new lamp's box – our packaging added value beyond shipping.

By only using FSC-certified packaging suppliers, we signified our commitment to sustainable forestry practices. This ensured that our suppliers of packaging only come from responsibly managed forests, promoting environmental conservation, social responsibility, and economic viability.

UMAGE introduced a 4-day work week to enhance work-life balance for the employees. With extra time to recharge and spend quality time with their loved ones, UMAGE employees returned to work more productive and creative.

In 2018, we broadened our product range of lighting with a brand-new furniture collection. Like our lighting, we aimed to create furniture with a flexible and multifunctional mindset.

To better capture our company vision, we changed our name to UMAGE. UMAGE is a Danish word meaning ‘making an effort,’ and that’s what we aim to do every day. UMAGE is where beautiful Danish design meets affordability, high-quality materials, and genuine care for the environment.

Our journey began at Lille Kongens Gade 22, 2 in a small apartment. It was the perfect spot to kickstart the business, and where the first steps towards UMAGE was taken. This space held the heart of our early dreams and set the stage for what was to come. In 2014, we needed more space to spread our wings. Expanding our team and product range necessitated additional space, so we moved from our previous address at Lille Kongens Gade 22, 2, to our new home at Kongens Nytorv 15, 2.

From the beginning, our mission was clear: to create versatile and flexible designs. We aimed to craft lighting pieces that seamlessly integrated into various settings and served multiple purposes. UMAGE’s mission was to design with more than one purpose in mind to reduce the number of products needed to get a complete setting for your space, minimizing resources on the planet.

Our designs has since the beginning been conveniently delivered flat-packed directly to you. This is optimizing space during transportation and significantly reducing CO2 emissions, aligning with our commitment to sustainability.

Founded in 2008 by CEO Jacob Nannestad and Chief Creative Developer Søren Ravn Christensen under the original name VITA Lighting, UMAGE experienced continuous growth and expansion. Today, our presence spans over 1,500 stores in more than 50 countries worldwide, a testament to our global reach and enduring success.