Our Story

Papico Living began in 2012 when founders Elena Papadopoulos and Marco Conti left a Milanese contract furniture firm to build something smaller and more focused — furniture that would age well in real homes, not just render beautifully in catalogues.

What started as a 400 m² workshop with six upholsterers has grown into a vertically integrated manufacturer employing 214 people across design, woodworking, sewing, and logistics. We still prototype every new piece by hand before it touches the production line.

Today, Papico Living supplies residential retailers, hospitality groups, and corporate fit-out contractors across Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Our London trade showroom opened in 2019; the Milan design studio remains our creative headquarters.

Papico Living design studio with modern furniture samples

The Workshop

Our production facility in Castegnato, Brescia, runs two shifts five days a week. The woodworking hall houses five CNC routers and a traditional bench room where master joiners hand-fit dovetails on premium range frames.

Upholstery is performed in-cell — each team of four is responsible for a single piece from frame dressing to final QC. This reduces handling damage and gives craftspeople ownership of output quality.

  • Location Via dell'Artigianato 14, 25045 Castegnato (BS), Italy
  • Capacity ~420 units/week at current shift pattern
  • QC 100% frame inspection · statistical fabric audit per batch
  • Packaging Recyclable cardboard · blanket-wrap on all trade orders
Furniture workshop with sofa frames in production

Company Timeline

2012

Founded in Brescia. First collection — six sofa models — debuts at Salone del Mobile satellite exhibition.

2015

Expanded to 3,200 m² facility. Achieved FSC Chain of Custody certification. Began exporting to UK and Germany.

2018

Launched contract division for hospitality. Monaco sectional entered production — now our highest-volume SKU.

2019

Opened London trade showroom in Clerkenwell Design Quarter. Headcount reaches 120.

2022

Completed current 11,800 m² facility. ISO 9001 certified. Introduced circular fabric recycling programme.

2026

128 active SKUs across living, bedroom, office, and outdoor categories. 43 export markets. 18,400 units shipped in 2025.

Design Philosophy

We believe good furniture should simplify a room, not dominate it.

Honest Materials

Solid wood where structure demands it. Plywood only where engineering requires — never as a cost shortcut. We publish material breakdowns for every SKU on request.

Repairable by Design

Removable legs, replaceable cushion cores, and zip-off covers on all residential seating. We stock spare parts for 10 years after a model is discontinued.

Measured Proportions

Seat heights, arm widths, and back angles are tested across body types in our ergonomics lab before a design is signed off for production.

Leadership

Elena Papadopoulos

Co-founder & Creative Director

Former senior designer at B&B Italia. MA Furniture Design, Politecnico di Milano. Oversees all new product development and fabric partnerships.

Marco Conti

Co-founder & CEO

20 years in European contract manufacturing. Manages operations, export logistics, and the trade account programme.

Sophie Langley

Head of UK Trade · London Showroom

Previously at SCP and Habitat trade divisions. Contact for UK, Ireland, and Nordic specification projects.