{"id":1346,"date":"2019-10-10T18:11:05","date_gmt":"2019-10-10T22:11:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dflgrouptest.local\/?p=1346"},"modified":"2019-10-10T18:11:05","modified_gmt":"2019-10-10T22:11:05","slug":"our-philosophys-trade-offs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/designed-for-life.org\/GMtCh34S\/our-philosophys-trade-offs\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Philosophy’s Trade-Offs"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1\/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” text_align=”left” css=”.vc_custom_1568914084963{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 40px !important;}”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/1″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” offset=”vc_hidden-sm vc_hidden-xs”][vc_column_text]A Designed For Life approach to design does not come without a cost. It literally costs us just a bit more for us to use recycled fiber in our Sactionals for example. It will likely cost us more again to push even further into total sustainable inputs for our product. But should things in our lives even be so cheap? Should people need so much stuff? Should consumer products companies (of any kind) have gotten so large to begin with? I\u00a0feel like I have evolved as a business leader over time, and we have evolved as a company, to believe in what we believe today. All\u00a0aspects of the product are critical and must be considered.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” text_align=”left” css=”.vc_custom_1568914258809{margin-top: -100px !important;margin-bottom: 15px !important;}”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/1″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” offset=”vc_hidden-lg vc_hidden-md”][vc_column_text]A Designed For Life approach to design does not come without a cost. It literally costs us just a bit more for us to use recycled fiber in our Sactionals for example. It will likely cost us more again to push even further into total sustainable inputs for our product. But should things in our lives even be so cheap? Should people need so much stuff? Should consumer products companies (of any kind) have gotten so large to begin with? I\u00a0feel like I have evolved as a business leader over time, and we have evolved as a company, to believe in what we believe today. All\u00a0aspects of the product are critical and must be considered.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1\/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”padding-2-percent” column_padding_position=”right” background_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/2″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” offset=”vc_col-lg-6 vc_col-md-6 vc_col-xs-12″]
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<\/span> <\/div> <\/div> \r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>[vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1570741074475{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}”]Attainable. Sustainable. Maintainable!<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ width=”2\/3″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” offset=”vc_col-lg-6 vc_col-md-6 vc_col-xs-12″][vc_column_text]In the case of Sactionals (as the case-study for a DFL product), by living up to a high bar for design, the 8-tenet DFL framework, we have a couch that is washable, and changeable, and infinitely rearrangeable\u2014not to mention moveable, shippable, and many say beautiful. It must be comfortable, it must be sustainable, and it must be attainable. That is not to say it must be cheap\u2014but as long as it is attainable we believe that people will ultimately see the value in it, and perhaps spend a bit more money, if necessary, to buy into this approach to living.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” text_align=”left” css=”.vc_custom_1570739918252{padding-top: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”padding-2-percent” column_padding_position=”right” background_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/1″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” offset=”vc_col-lg-12 vc_col-md-12 vc_col-xs-12″][vc_column_text]In our case, we are happy to encourage people to avoid debt, simply buy one piece at a time if they like, and build their dream couch over the course of many years. This is a feature made possible only by\u00a0the unique attributes of our\u00a0product and our business model. In almost every other case, you\u2019d go back after months or years only to discover that whatever \u201cmodel\u201d of product you bought, from a typical firm, has been discontinued already, and you couldn\u2019t add to it or upgrade it anyway. That is no accident. We are absolutely committed to a total value proposition that is simply different from how other companies do business and we believe that it will ultimately make us more successful.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” text_align=”left” css=”.vc_custom_1570738989939{padding-top: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”padding-2-percent” column_padding_position=”right” background_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/1″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” offset=”vc_col-lg-12 vc_col-md-12 vc_col-xs-12″][vc_video link=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?time_continue=19&v=GWEla4rB6Ro” align=”center”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1570741208362{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}”]\n

The world’s most adaptable couch!<\/span><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” text_align=”left” css=”.vc_custom_1570738936379{padding-top: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”padding-2-percent” column_padding_position=”right” background_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/1″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” offset=”vc_col-lg-12 vc_col-md-12 vc_col-xs-12 vc_hidden-xs”][vc_column_text]The implication is: If we do a good job convincing people en masse that Sactionals are the best solution for couches\u2014there will be demand for them forever\u2014and we will be producing this same model, or something compatible with it, forever. We\u2019ll see.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” text_align=”left” css=”.vc_custom_1570738927019{padding-top: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”padding-2-percent” column_padding_position=”right” background_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/1″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” offset=”vc_col-lg-12 vc_hidden-lg vc_col-md-12 vc_hidden-md vc_col-xs-12″][vc_column_text]The implication is: If we do a good job convincing people en masse that Sactionals are the best solution for couches\u2014there will be demand for them forever\u2014and we will be producing this same model, or something compatible with it, forever. We\u2019ll see.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” text_align=”left” css=”.vc_custom_1570739943632{padding-top: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”padding-2-percent” column_padding_position=”right” background_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/3″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” offset=”vc_col-lg-4 vc_col-md-4 vc_col-xs-12″]

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\"\"<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1570739237226{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}”]A classic silhouette, lends itself to limitless styling possibilities.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ width=”2\/3″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” offset=”vc_col-lg-8 vc_col-md-8 vc_col-xs-12″][vc_column_text]Another criticism of Sactionals, and therefore the DFL approach, is that they\u2019re perhaps \u201cnot my style,\u201d or even that they\u2019re \u201ctoo plain\u201d or \u201ctoo modern\u201d or \u201ctoo simple for my tastes.\u201d This is clearly a subjective criticism. It is solely up to the beholder. But it is still a valid criticism ironically even intentional within the DFL approach. One of the least understood of the 8 DFL tenets is \u201cLoveable.\u201d This design criteria calls for a Designed For Life product to be \u201cclassic and endearing\u201d in its design. While there may be more desired, or seemingly \u201cloveable\u201d couches that appeal to you specifically, we have intentionally chosen a silhouette and an overall aesthetic that is simple, and appealing to most, devoid of much adornment, fad-like or trendy elements.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” text_align=”left” css=”.vc_custom_1570739952452{padding-top: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”padding-2-percent” column_padding_position=”right” background_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/2″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” offset=”vc_col-lg-6 vc_col-md-6 vc_col-xs-12″][vc_column_text]This is not to say it has no personality. Besides being classic in its styling, hopefully unbound by time, it must also be endearing. This is where the \u201cLovesac\u201d brand plays a role. Its witty and understated sense of humor, its name, even its product tags and warning labels that bear just a bit of cheeky humor plays a role. From the ease of setup, the satisfaction of a heavy, perfectly fitted steel clamp sliding in place with just the right amount of friction\u2014to the clever language used in the instructions that are thoughtfully placed on the inside of a flab on the box, rather than a photo-copied piece of paper that becomes just another thing to throw away\u2014a \u201cLoveable\u201d product is something that many can appreciate and hopefully want to purchase. While it is impossible to design to an aesthetic that will appeal to all, the intention of the approach is to offer so many reasons why the product is better than others in its class, that even the picky consumer, rejecting the \u201cvanilla\u201d aesthetic as less-desirable, might still purchase the product in the end due to all of the other apparent advantages over its competition and (at least) not-offensive classic look.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/2″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” offset=”vc_col-lg-6 vc_col-md-6 vc_col-xs-12″]
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Sectionals “loveability” even extends to the packaging!<\/span><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]