COMFORT FOR THE WORLD
What began in 2012 as a small start-up with South African roots has rapidly developed into an international brand. The Düsseldorf-based lounge furniture manufacturer Vetsak inspires a global customer base – from Düsseldorf to Cape Town and New York – with its innovative approach to comfort, sustainability and modular design.
The Vetsak success story began in 2012 in Woodstock, a creative neighbourhood in Cape Town. During his semester abroad as an international business student at the University of Cape Town, Max Gansow, a 24-year-old from Düsseldorf, met designer Ryan Buda. Buda had developed a beanbag for his children that was filled with an innovative memory foam rather than the usual polystyrene balls. With this product idea in mind, Gansow returned to Germany and convinced his school friend Marco Heimann to produce and sell high-quality, super-comfortable beanbags. Beanbags had been around for many years, but they were filled with polystyrene balls, which are uncomfortable in the long term: the filling does not adapt to the body, causing pressure points and compromising comfort. So what could be more obvious than using soft foam from mattress production? Gansow and Heimann analysed the market together. Until now, no manufacturer had taken advantage of the possibility of vacuum-packing foam flakes and shrinking them to a fraction of their original size – a potential that the two founders did not want to leave untapped. During a joint stay in Cape Town, they decided to combine their know-how with that of inventor Ryan Buda and launch the products on the European market under the name Vetsak.
DIGITALE DNA AND GLOBAL EXPANSION
From beanbag to lifestyle, Vetsak is dedicated to making furniture an expression of individual personality.
Twelve years after founding the company, the trio of Gansow/ Heimann/Buda can now look back on a global eCommerce business that serves more than 100,000 customers in over 35 countries with its headquarters in Düsseldorf’s harbour district. The international business is managed from here. In addition, the soft seating furniture can be extensively tested in stationary retail stores as well as in the company's own showrooms and pop-up stores. About 30 employees in South Africa as well as 40 employees in Europe work together to realise the Vetsak vision. The current focus is on expansion into the US market, with showrooms recently opened in New York and Los Angeles. In addition to the beanbags, Vetsak has expanded its product range in 2020 to include a lounge sofa, which allows customers to create their own unique piece of furniture from a choice of five modules and 50 colours. 'Voluminous, soft, very high quality and comfortable. From the very beginning, our aim has been to create the ultimate product. Our beanbags cannot be compared to those of our competitors. We occupy a niche in the new luxury segment of the European market,' says CEO and co-founder Max Gansow. His customers now include not only luxury fashion houses, but also artists, DJs, models, actors and athletes. The fashionable cover fabrics are durable, removable and washable – and adapt to any style or living environment. This flexibility is particularly appealing to a young, design-savvy target group that values individuality. From the outset, the company has relied on a strong digital presence. It has almost 500,000 followers on Instagram. Influencers and testimonials like rapper Cro help create an emotional connection with the brand.
Max Gansow, the creative mind behind Vetsak: from a semester abroad in Cape Town to building a global brand.
SOFA-IN-A-BOX
Making the world a more comfortable place – this is Vetsak's philosophy and it is something that runs through all areas of the company. Not just in terms of physical comfort, but in the holistic concept of making customers' lives easier and more enjoyable in every way. 'We wanted to fundamentally change the customer experience in the sofa market, which is generally characterised by long delivery times, ' explains Max Gansow. Thanks to patented packaging technologies, the sofa can be shipped in a compressed state – a first in Europe. The 'sofa-in-a-box' principle, whose format is based on DHL's standard sizes, not only ensures fast delivery and easy, tool-free assembly, but is also designed to be sustainable and resource-efficient. 'To make this shopping experience possible, product development did not start with the design of the sofa, as is usually the case, but with the concept of the shipping box,' says founder Gansow. The eye-catching beanbags come with a comprehensive customer service package, including a 30-day trial period, free shipping within the EU and a five-year warranty. In this way, Vetsak has managed to turn a beanbag into a coveted lifestyle object, making comfort tangible throughout the customer journey. Describing its effect, Gansow says: 'Anyone who sits on one of our beanbags for the first time will have a smile on their face.'
Fit for Fashion: together with designer Dirk Schönberger, Vetsak enters a new era of aesthetics.
FASHION AND FURNITURE DESIGN
The recent appointment of Dirk Schönberger is a clear sign of Vetsak's ambitious plans. The former head designer for top international brands such as MCM, Adidas and Joop! recently joined the company as Chief Brand Officer. His job is to drive creative development, design new collections and expand the product range. Branding expert Schönberger sees great potential for the company: 'Vetsak has an impressive track record as an innovator in design, craftsmanship and quality, breathing new life into the concept of making a personal style statement through quality furniture,' he says. His ambitions for Vetsak were sparked by a joint appearance with Lacoste at Milan Fashion Week and a collaboration with Italian fashion label Aspesi. The sofas, blankets, cushions, accessories and decorative toys made from recycled nylon puffer jackets were shown at Milan's prestigious Salone del Mobile furniture fair and will be available in stores from December 2024. With Schönberger on board, Vetsak is now looking to take the next big step: moving from a beanbag to a global lifestyle brand. Creating modular, sustainable and unique furniture that not merely fills a room, but enhances your life and sense of individuality, with a new understanding of timeless luxury. •
Words: Karolina Landowski
Pictures: Vetsak