30 Years of Innovation: Jonathan Hindle on KI’s Journey and Future Vision
As KI celebrates 30 years in Europe, Design Insider sits down with Jonathan Hindle, President EMEA of KI Europe, Chairman of the British Furniture Confederation, and founder of the Design Guild Mark, to reflect on the journey of this globally respected contract furniture manufacturer.
Since establishing KI in the UK over three decades ago, Jonathan has led its growth across the UK, Europe, Middle East, and Africa, blending design excellence with sustainable innovation to create furniture solutions that support wellbeing, flexibility, and longevity across education, workplace, and hospitality sectors.
In this wide-ranging interview, Jonathan discusses KI’s approach to sustainability, including the development of the 100% post-consumer waste Sebel chair; the design strategy behind KI’s new Goswell Road showroom and its role as a collaborative lab space; and how KI’s expanding partnerships and evolving product lines, including its collaboration with Bejot, are shaping flexible, wellbeing-focused environments for the future.
KI celebrates 30 years in Europe this year — could you reflect on the company’s journey so far, and tell us more about your own work in the commercial furniture sector, including your role in shaping KI’s direction?
After a career in design and property, I founded KI in the UK in 1994 as part of the global KI Group of Companies, one of the largest contract furniture manufacturers in the world. Over the next three decades, the business has evolved from a regional start‑up into a leading commercial furniture brand that blends design led quality engineering, and sustainability practices in the UK. I enjoyed driving that evolution, developing an exciting and skilled team, shaping new product lines, expanding manufacturing influence, and steering strategic partnerships, all rooted in creating happier and healthier spaces. My work across design, property, and global markets has helped me establish the high standards now expected of KI, broaden applications across Workplace, Education, Healthcare and now Hospitality Markets and cement KI’s place at the forefront of commercial furniture innovation.
Congratulations on the opening of KI’s new showroom on Goswell Road. Could you tell us about some of the key design choices behind the space and how it reflects KI’s design philosophy and future ambitions?
Our newly launched showroom and offices for our 45 staff in London on Goswell Road is more than a display space, it’s a physical embodiment of KI’s ethos and expertise. Featuring flexible zones for workplace, education, hospitality, and outdoor environments, the showroom showcases modular systems like Work 2.1 and sustainable seating ranges such as Sebel & Postura. Characterised by warm lighting and natural materials the diverse zones will evolve and reflect our belief in longevity and adaptability. This space invokes curiosity while spotlighting our future ambitions in design, flexibility, and environmental stewardship. Like many contemporary showrooms, this is not merely a room full of products, as may have once been the case. I call it a lab. There are products that fold and nest or rise and fall, lockers fitted with numerous options of RFID, alongside acoustic curtains, pods and rooms that create little pockets of quiet. And of course, there is plenty of space for presentations and debates.
I believe that showrooms should stimulate conversations.
Sustainability is clearly a major focus for KI — how are your long-term environmental goals shaping product development and material choices, and how does the new Sebel chair, made entirely from post-consumer waste, exemplify this commitment?
Addressing environmental impact is central to KI’s philosophy. We are pioneers in sustainable plastics. Our polypropylene ranges, all manufactured in the UK have at least 30% recycled content in any colour. The one piece Postura+ range now has 50% recycled content in any colour and the vanguard of our sustainability achievments is the new Sebel chair, manufactured from 100% post-consumer waste and produced in the UK. By eliminating colourants and virgin materials, the chair reflects our dedication to mono-material design and supports a circular economy. KI is a strong proponent of open loop plastics recycling, in which KI repurposes household waste, otherwise destined for landfill, and turns the waste into long-life seating products with 20+ year warranties. As these chairs are single piece, and made from one material, they are incredibly simple to recycle themselves, ensuring that many years later, they will re-enter the open loop recycling system.
KI’s product ranges are designed to meet the needs of multiple sectors — from education to hospitality and the workplace. How do these differing environments shape the design process and performance expectations for your furniture?
Different environments demand different performance criteria. In education, our focus is on durability, lightweight handling, and mobility— qualities exemplified by the Postura, Hatton and new Sutton chair ranges. Likewise seating ranges like Grafton work in multiple market sectors. Workplace products like the Work 2.1 sit/stand range emphasises ergonomic adaptability and technological integration. New flexible workstations and table ranges like Zig and Kink are used across all market sectors, as are soft seating ranges like Take5, Fleet and numerous ranges from Bejot’s portfolio where aesthetics and acoustics are a key factor. Pods and booths like Clubhouse and Bejot’s Treehouse work across markets where aesthetics and longevity balance, with easy-clean finishes and acoustic benefits. Across all sectors, our product design and development process starts with context-specific briefs—prioritising usability, comfort, and flexibility while adapting materials and engineering to provide longevity and sustainable results.
Manufacturing has always been a strength of KI. Could you explain the process involved in producing one-piece chairs and stools like the Hatton range, and how rigorous testing ensures they perform across varied, demanding settings?
Our one piece designs, such as Postura, Hatton and Sutton chairs and stools, leverage precision injection moulding and gas-injection techniques to create robust, seamless forms . Made from high-impact polypropylene, they undergo rigorous testing—load bearing, impact resistance, UV and stain tests—to ensure they withstand heavy use in classrooms, cafeterias, outdoor areas, and high-traffic zones. The result is resilience, stackability, and timeless design proven in real-world, demanding settings. The Postura one piece chair was introduced 30 years ago, so when we reference warranties such as 20 years, our confidence is built on the solid foundation of supplying millions of chairs over the decades and observing their robust performance in often demanding settings.
The new Sutton chair draws inspiration from mid-century school seating but is reimagined with modern techniques. What role did trend forecasting play in shaping its colourways and appeal to contemporary specifiers?
At Clerkenwell Design Week this year, we launched the Sutton Chair—a modern take on mid‑century school seating, reimagined with contemporary single piece injection-moulding techniques . Trend consultancy Scarlet Opus guided our colour selections, identifying iron grey, denim, terracotta, and latte as “key colours for 2025/26.” By aligning classic forms with researched palettes, the Sutton bridges history with today’s aesthetic sensibilities and specifier preferences.
Your new partnership with Bejot introduces acoustic and ergonomic solutions into the KI offering. How do you see this expanding your ability to support more flexible and wellbeing-oriented environments?
Our new exclusive partnership with Bejot brings modern acoustic and ergonomic solutions—like Leaf Pods, Jelly, Fora and Clip sofas ++ , Treehouse booths and Gummy Bear armchairs , sofas and stools for outdoor use —into the KI portfolio . These products support collaboration, noise management, and wellbeing in flexible spaces. Integrating them enhances our ability to offer holistic, human-centred environments that promote comfort and adaptability whether in educational, hospitality, or office settings. Bejot also have a comprehensive range of acoustic options providing ceiling-suspended, wall-mounted, desk-mounted and free-standing solutions.
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