Innovation

At the heart of Moduplus is a radically simple idea for a circular economy: build interiors from a small set of modular elements that can be endlessly reused, repaired and reconfigured.

The original M+ Sofa is built from just a few base elements, notably a seat and a back that can be linked with metal brackets, without tools, into everything from a pouf or armchair, to a corner sofa, island, daybed or chairs. When layouts need to change, the pieces are unclipped and rebuilt elsewhere rather than discarded. The body is made from lightweight EPP (Expanded Polypropylene) foam, a tough, fully recyclable plastic that is produced without harmful gases and can be reused many times without losing performance.

The same logic is applied to the M+ Room, a family of modular acoustic rooms built from wall, ceiling and glass panels that are assembled and moved without tools. These rooms use certified sustainable wood, recycled acoustic insulation, and quality fabrics without any cutting waste, and they are produced in ROFA’s energy-neutral plant in Tilburg using predominantly local materials.

To make impacts transparent, Moduplus issues CO₂ passports for the basic elements of M+ Room. These documents calculate the emissions for each product, including raw materials, transport and production, and even show negative values where bio-based materials like wood and bamboo store carbon. They also allow direct comparison with conventional alternatives.

Circularity goes one step further through a deposit system: customers pay a deposit when purchasing many M+ products. When the furniture comes back at the end of its use phase, ROFA refunds the deposit, disassembles the pieces and reuses or recycles as many components as possible.

Inspiration

Founder and CEO Ronald de Boer started ROFA in 1991, originally focusing on reupholstering office furniture because, in his words, throwing away good furniture “made no sense” when a new fabric could give it a long second life. What began as a cost-efficient mindset quickly evolved into a sustainability philosophy: by designing products that use the full width of fabrics and minimise cutting waste, the company realised it could save both money and materials.

As sustainability moved from niche topic to mainstream, De Boer kept pushing. He said that government and corporate tenders in the Netherlands used to focus almost entirely on price, but in recent years sustainability scores have become as important as cost and often more decisive. This shift rewarded ROFA’s early choices and encouraged the team to codify their circular principles into Moduplus.

The rapid rise of hybrid working after the COVID-19 pandemic added another source of inspiration. Organizations suddenly needed offices that could change function quickly. From rows of desks to meeting hubs, quiet focus rooms and collaboration zones. Moduplus responded with “shapeshifting” furniture and rooms that can be endlessly rearranged as needs evolve.

Overall impact

Moduplus has reshaped ROFA’s position from a traditional upholsterer into a recognised circular innovator in project furniture. ROFA’s energy-neutral building in Tilburg, equipped with 238 solar panels, drastically cuts the operational footprint of production while supporting electric mobility.

Regionally, ROFA/Moduplus has been nominated for the Brabant Circular Innovation Top 2025 and honoured by the city of Tilburg as “Impactmaker of the Quarter,” recognising their leadership in circular design, energy-neutral production and material reuse.

Business benefit

What started as a sustainability ambition has become a clear source of competitive advantage. In major public and corporate tenders, where sustainability now carries significant weight alongside price, ROFA’s circular design, local sourcing and transparent CO₂ reporting often score highly and help win projects. De Boer notes that the company has been particularly successful in these tenders exactly because of its sustainability credentials.

Modularity and circularity also make strong business sense. Designing elements to use fabric and materials efficiently reduces purchasing costs and almost eliminates production waste; the small remaining streams are compacted and sold to partners who turn them into new materials. The deposit system and take-back guarantee create recurring relationships with clients and future revenue from refurbishment and re-manufacturing.

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Social and environmental benefit

SDG 8 – Decent Work & Economic Growth
ROFA and Moduplus emphasise care for people. The factory is light-filled, well-ventilated and designed for safe, ergonomic work. The company is an officially recognized training firm, offers opportunities to people with a distance to the labour market, provides language courses where needed and even includes a prayer room and washing facilities for employees who wish to use them. Together with sponsoring local sports clubs, this approach supports inclusive local growth while aligning day-to-day business with social well-being.

SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure
The M+ Room and M+ Sofa provide an alternative to building fixed walls or repeatedly refitting interiors. Offices can be re-configured with panels and modules instead of demolition and new construction, reducing resource use and disruption. Investment in energy-efficient technologies, CO₂ accounting tools and innovative materials such as bamboo and EPP shows how industrial design can pair high performance with low environmental impact.

SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities & Communities
By helping organizations reuse existing buildings more flexibly, Moduplus supports more compact, adaptive cities rather than continual new construction. Acoustic rooms improve comfort and productivity in open-plan offices, while local production and supplier networks keep economic value and employment in the Tilburg region.

SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption & Production
Moduplus is built entirely around circular design principles. Products are modular, easy to repair and designed for multiple life cycles, with most materials from EPP cores to textiles and wood. Chosen for recyclability or reuse. CO₂ passports and product circularity reports give customers concrete data on emissions and circularity, turning procurement into an informed, responsible choice rather than a guess.

Interview

Ronald de Boer, Founder and CEO

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