Furniture for the People is operated under the framework of democratic design. Why design something that isn't accessible to as many people as possible? Exclusion not only produces hostile objects and spaces, but also limits the potential for design to be something greater. FFTP aims to solve real problems for "the average person" with sustainability and environmental awareness as a priority.
Affordable, high-quality production is a utopia that simply can't exist without some form of externality: overproduction, unfair labor, unsustainable materials & practices. However, by replacing manufacturers with the people (a.k.a. you), we can finally materialize a utopia that removes these externalities. FFTP is a social collaboration between me and you.
The design should be simple enough so that as many people as possible can build it. However, FFTP is not a DIY hack project. This furniture will go beyond cheap, bare-minimum designs. Enough DIY resources already exist on the internet. These will be high-quality, beautiful designs that you could buy at a retailer. To make these designs accessible, they will be designed with the builder in mind. Thorough instructions with advice on multiple ways to construct each piece will be provided to ensure anyone can successfully build it.
The design should be flexible so it can fit in any space. This goes beyond aesthetic. A table should almost always be 30 inches high, but its length is negotiable. Providing industry standards but empowering the user to define their own parameters & needs is critical. Here's why: no space is the same, nor should furniture be fixed to one size. More importantly, not every local hardware store has the same substrate and cut of wood available. Let's say, for example, the planks of wood at your local store are 2 inches shy of my recommended design. It could be acceptable if proper constraints are defined—2 inches off the length of a table is trivial; however, 2 inches off the height could deem it unusable.
The design should be affordable so there is no barrier to entry. Affordability is relative. The only two costs are materials and tools (and time of course). Every design should enable multiple methods of construction to accommodate anyone's budget or setup. Can't afford solid walnut? Veneer plywood can achieve the same look. Don't have a table saw? There's more than one way to make a straight cut (or) pay your local lumberyard to cut your pieces to length. Everyone starts somewhere—there are more people who don't know how to woodwork than those who do. With enough advice and information, the builder can cut 60% cost from the market price (labor to design, construct, and transport a product—plus that generous profit corporations collect).
The design should be sustainable so we as a collaboration reverse the negative effects of mass-production and throw-away culture. It is the responsibility of FFTP to provide designs that are practical, functional, long-lasting, and hopefully timeless. It is your responsibility to limit consumption from unethical businesses, become self-sustaining, and invest your time in constructing something that you intend to keep. By building for yourself, you know exactly what you need and what goes into every piece. The goal of FFTP is NOT to create demand for new furniture, but rather to reinvent how people consume/produce furniture and replace unsustainable businesses that don't prioritize our individual needs or our planet.