Spotlight on Nature-based Enterprises - Sonian Brussels

Nestled just outside Brussels lies the Sonian Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Europe’s most iconic periurban ecosystems. Home to vast stands of towering beech trees across 5,000 hectares, this forest is home to Sonian, a cooperative atelier turning local hardwood into contemporary design.

Sonian sustains a harmonious ecosystem which closes the gap between wood source and final design through meaningful collaborations with designers and trusted partners. We work exclusively with wood from the Sonian Forest, with full traceability from the tree to the delivered object.

Guided by a “tree-to-table” philosophy, they oversee the entire journey of the wood, from the purchase of standing trees (often felled due to age, disease, or forest management) to milling, crafting, and finishing, ensuring full traceability and transparency. 

By embracing circular economy principles, Sonian collaborates exclusively with local partners, cutting down transport emissions while creating new life from timber that might otherwise go unused. This cooperative approach merges environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and contemporary design, ensuring that each product embodies both ecological integrity and artistic excellence.

At their Brussels workshop, Sonian also experiment with mycelium, a mushroom-based material produced using beech wood waste and fungi species native to the Sonian Forest, transforming waste into sustainable biomaterials.

Why Sonian Inspires

Sonian stands as a leading example of how Nature-based Enterprises (NbEs) can thrive by weaving ecological care into economic activity. Through its cooperative model, innovative use of natural materials, and dedication to local value chains, Sonian demonstrates that sustainability and design excellence can go hand in hand.

For more details:  https://sonian.brussels/