Aom sofa by Arper in an office lounge

A Clerkenwell award for a sofa made of two parts: Aom by Arper

Arper

Jean-Marie Massaud

Reception sofa
Aom outdoor 7904 Reception sofa
£ 4,373

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Trade terms for professionals and design studios

Clerkenwell hands out its Design Week Product Awards to things the trade has looked at closely, which is the useful part of Aom winning one in 2026. Look closely and the sofa turns out to be two parts: a structure in expanded polypropylene and padding in Breathair, a recyclable elastomeric polyester. They interlock. That is the whole construction.

What follows from it is unusual for upholstery. There is no polyurethane anywhere in the collection — Arper calls the pairing uncommon in the furniture sector — and the quilted cover holds the components together without a single staple or a drop of glue. The sofa comes apart the way it went together, which is why the manufacturer puts end-of-life recyclability at close to 100 per cent.

The same build makes it move outdoors. Drainage is integrated into the structure and the padding breathes, so it dries quickly after rain; the collection is listed as three lounge codes and three outdoor codes. Jean-Marie Massaud drew it for lounges, waiting areas and common spaces across contract, hospitality and education. La Mercanti specifies Aom with samples and the full material list settled before the order.

Technical information based on data declared by the manufacturer.

Collection: Aom
Manufacturer: Arper (Monastier di Treviso, Italy)
Design: Jean-Marie Massaud, 2026
Type: sofas and armchairs for lounge, waiting and common areas; indoor and outdoor
Construction: two interlocking components; mechanical assembly, no staples and no glue
Structure: expanded polypropylene (EPP), lightweight and durable
Padding: Breathair, recyclable elastomeric polyester — elastic, breathable, water resistant
Polyurethane: none in the collection
Cover: soft quilted cover, holds the components together and comes off for maintenance
Outdoor use: drainage integrated into the structure; dries quickly after exposure to water
End of life: complete disassembly; up to approximately 100% recyclability as stated by the manufacturer
Codes: Aom 7900, 7901, 7902 (lounge); Aom 7903, 7904, 7905 (outdoor)
Declared applications: contract, hospitality and education; office lounges, workspaces, terraces and private homes
Awards: Clerkenwell Design Week Product Awards, UK 2026; Metropolis Likes, USA 2026
Not declared by the manufacturer: dimensions, weights, seat configurations, coverings and colours, certifications

La Mercanti Srl — trusted supplier for design and contract projects since 1997.
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FAQ

What exactly is a sofa made of two components?
A structure in expanded polypropylene and padding in Breathair, a recyclable elastomeric polyester. The two interlock, and a quilted cover holds them together. Arper describes the pairing as uncommon in the furniture sector, and it is what removes polyurethane from the collection entirely.
Can it really be taken apart at the end?
That is the point of assembling it mechanically: no staples, no glue. The manufacturer states that the architecture makes Aom recyclable up to approximately 100 per cent, and the same feature is what makes routine maintenance straightforward rather than a specialist job.
Will it survive a British courtyard?
Drainage is built into the structure and the padding breathes, so the collection dries quickly after exposure to water. Three of the six codes are the outdoor versions. Placement still matters, and it is worth confirming the intended position with the manufacturer's documentation before ordering.
What did it win at Clerkenwell?
A Clerkenwell Design Week Product Award in 2026, alongside a Metropolis Likes award in the United States the same year. Both are trade recognitions rather than consumer prizes, which is the sort worth citing in a specification.
Which spaces does Arper intend it for?
Lounges, waiting areas and common spaces across contract, hospitality and education, plus office lounges, workspaces, terraces and private homes. Dimensions are not published on the product page; for a layout drawing they need to be requested from the manufacturer.

Reading a sofa by its bill of materials

Five checks that tell you more about a lounge piece than any photograph will.

Count the components
Aom has two. Fewer parts means fewer joints, fewer adhesives and fewer ways for a repair to become a replacement. It is the first question worth asking about any upholstered piece.
Ask what holds it together
Staples and glue make a sofa permanent in the wrong way. A quilted cover doing the mechanical work means the piece can be opened, cleaned and closed again by the facilities team.
Check what the padding is
Breathair is a recyclable elastomeric polyester rather than foam, which is why the same piece is listed for indoor and outdoor use. Ask this before asking about fabric.
Follow the water
Integrated drainage and breathable padding are what let a lounge piece stand on a terrace. Without both, an outdoor sofa is an indoor sofa with a warranty problem.
Read the end of life before the lead time
Complete disassembly and recyclability close to 100 per cent are stated by the manufacturer. In a tender with circularity criteria, that line does more work than any finish sample.

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