Sabai Designs
Evaluation Completed:
November 6, 2025
Evaluation Summary
Company Insights
Sabai Designs appears to have the makings of what could be a solid commitment to sustainability. We always like to see a B-corp certification as a solid indicator of foundational responsible business practices. The company also has some best-in-class programs for repair and product buyback that should be more broadly adopted by furniture companies that are interested in authentic producer responsibility. However, for a company that markets sustainability so heavily we were surprised to find some significant gaps in their policies, practices, and products for the topics we evaluate. It’s a bit of a conundrum for us when it comes to rating this kind of company. Some real leadership on a couple of issues but glaring omissions when it comes to ingredient safety and environmental issues like climate protection. Ultimately, we can only score our evaluation on the information and data provided.
Ingredient Safety
Foundational Gaps
Solid Baseline
Strong Performance
Hilde Likes
Emphasis on some relevant chemicals of concern
This brand recognizes that certain groups of chemicals should be restricted from the products they make or sell
Opportunities for Improvement
Better claims substantiation on ingredient safety
We would like to see more and better information related to this company's ingredient and/or material safety claims
Crafting a comprehensive chemicals policy
We think this company should create and publicly share a comprehensive and precautionary chemicals policy, ingredient safety standard, or similar
Category Definition
Our ingredient safety evaluation criteria are designed to help us determine how a company measures, manages, and discloses, the use of chemicals of concern that may be present in raw materials, ingredients, manufacturing processes, and finished products.
Foundational Gaps
The company does not meet sufficient baseline criteria for this category and has many opportunities for improvement.
Solid Baseline
The company meets most of our basic criteria and sometimes demonstrates a deeper commitment than other companies on issues in this category.
Strong Performance:
The company appears to be a top performer in this evaluation category and exhibits leadership on one or more of the issues we evaluate.
Environmental Impact
Foundational Gaps
Solid Baseline
Strong Performance
Hilde Likes
Innovative approaches to more circular products
This brand is showing some exciting examples of how the concept of circularity can significantly improve the sustainability of a product - which is notable given how challenging this can be with certain types of products.
Providing the opportunity for responsible recovery
This company independently manages of participates in a product takeback, recovery, or buyback program to help extend the useful life of products or recover products that are difficult to recycle
Opportunities for Improvement
Formalizing biodiversity protection efforts
We would like to see this company build on their initial efforts related to more sustainable raw materials production by establishing an internal biodiversity protection policy and goal
Launching climate protection efforts
We would like to see this company take credible actions to measure, reduce, and report on their greenhouse gas emissions
Verification of environmental impact reduction efforts
This company should start using or expand their use of high-quality certifications related to strengthen their claims related to environmental impact reduction
Category Definition
Our environmental impact reduction evaluation criteria are designed to help us determine how a company measures, manages, and discloses information about the impacts that their operations, products, and supply chain may have on our air, land, water, and ecosystems.
Foundational Gaps
The company does not meet sufficient baseline criteria for this category and has many opportunities for improvement.
Solid Baseline
The company meets most of our basic criteria and sometimes demonstrates a deeper commitment than other companies on issues in this category.
Strong Performance:
The company appears to be a top performer in this evaluation category and exhibits leadership on one or more of the issues we evaluate.
Worker Fairness
Foundational Gaps
Solid Baseline
Strong Performance
Hilde Likes
None Identified
Opportunities for Improvement
Crafting a strong Supplier Code of Conduct
We think this company should craft or revise their existing code of conduct to align with recognized international standards
Increasing supply chain transparency
We believe this company could be providing better transparency about where they source raw materials and where their products are manufactured
Launching a responsible sourcing program
We would like this company to launch a responsible sourcing program that includes an internal policy, defines higher-risk raw materials, and their process for mitigating impacts to people & the planet
Category Definition
Our worker fairness evaluation criteria are designed to help us determine how a company measures, manages, and discloses information about the way they treat their employees, workers in their supply chain, and other stakeholders.
Foundational Gaps
The company does not meet sufficient baseline criteria for this category and has many opportunities for improvement.
Solid Baseline
The company meets most of our basic criteria and sometimes demonstrates a deeper commitment than other companies on issues in this category.
Strong Performance:
The company appears to be a top performer in this evaluation category and exhibits leadership on one or more of the issues we evaluate.
Accountability
Foundational Gaps
Solid Baseline
Strong Performance
Hilde Likes
Commitment to ethical business practices
We value that this company is a certified B-Corp because it demonstrates a credible commitment to pursuing ethical business practices
Mission alignment with sustainability
We appreciate that this company has included safety and sustainability as part of their mission
Opportunities for Improvement
Securing sustainability data & reporting assurance
We think this company should strengthen the credibility of the data and information they report related to their sustainability performance by having it audited and assured by an independent external organization
Providing public disclosure and reporting
We think this company should start publishing regular annual reports on sustainability or ESG topics for consumers or other stakeholders and maintain a publicly available archive of past reports
Category Defition
Our corporate accountability evaluation criteria are designed to help us determine how a company integrates sustainability across their organization to help govern decision making and engage with external stakeholders in socially responsible ways.
Foundational Gaps
The company does not meet sufficient baseline criteria for this category and has many opportunities for improvement.
Solid Baseline
The company meets most of our basic criteria and sometimes demonstrates a deeper commitment than other companies on issues in this category.
Strong Performance:
The company appears to be a top performer in this evaluation category and exhibits leadership on one or more of the issues we evaluate.