BY REBECCA L. RHOADES

As the oldest member of the legendary musical group The Jackson 5, Jackie Jackson achieved global fame when he was just a teenager, selling millions of records that included such classic hits as “I’ll Be There” and “ABC” and helping establish Motown as one of the world’s most famous music labels. But his travels, which included staying at some of the best hotels in the world, sparked another interest.

“The furniture industry was always something I wanted to get involved with,” he says. “Even when I was traveling with my brothers, doing concerts, I would always stop into all the newsstands throughout the airports and buy all kinds of design magazines, such as Architectural Digest. And now that I’m finally here, now that I’m making furniture, I’m really excited about it.”

Here, for Jackson, is at the helm of Hayvenhurst, a sustainable luxury furniture brand he co-founded with his wife, Emily, and Dutch designer Robert Milder. Named after the historic Jackson family compound in Encino, California, the brand debuted at Milan Design Week in 2025 to critical acclaim.

BUILDING A DREAM

The idea for Hayvenhurst came to the Jacksons when they were remodeling their Las Vegas home and couldn’t find sustainable furniture options that they liked. Recognizing the gap in the market, they decided to develop their own product line that was not only beautiful but that also supported their values. But they needed a partner who knew how to navigate the industry.

Emily had heard about Milder, who in 2018 had founded the sustainable brand Van de Sant, and was impressed by his use of recycled ocean plastics. A former graphic designer, Milder always had an interest in the environment and sustainable solutions. It was during a vacation in the Caribbean that he was inspired to develop furnishings. “I went for a swim, and I was literally swimming in plastics,” he explains. “There’s a bay in Curacao — they call it ‘plastic bay’ — where marine trash and plastics wash ashore. I thought to myself that something needs to be done.”

Inspired, Milder began experimenting and developed a furniture frame made from recycled ocean plastics. He covered it with alternative eco-friendly padding and upholstery, creating the first sustainable soft seating. Today, his furnishings are found in high-end hotels, corporate offices, and luxury locations across the globe.

Jackson recalls, “My wife introduced me to Robert, and he was on the same wavelength, doing the same thing I was trying to do. Taking waste from our oceans and lakes and turning it into sustainable furniture — to me, that’s the future.”

WHERE SUSTAINABILITY AND LUXURY MEET

The traditional furniture industry takes a significant environmental toll. From widespread deforestation to toxic chemical use and overflowing landfills, it has devastating consequences for our planet.

For example, the industry is the primary driver of global deforestation, clear-cutting more than 15 million hectares of forest annually. Many pieces are made with low-quality materials that can’t be readily recycled or repurposed. They also contain harmful chemicals, including formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Furthermore, Americans alone discard more than 12 million tons of furniture each year, with approximately 80% ending up in landfills.

Milder adds, “One kilogram of cotton needs [almost 800 gallons] of water to grow. But if you use recycled and recovered materials, you don’t have that process. Reducing water usage, reducing materials, using recovered materials: That’s how we end pollution in the world.”

Like Milder’s Van de Sant line, Hayvenhurst pieces begin with a recycled plastic frame and are covered with bio-based and organic materials. Natural latex rubber and bio-based synthetics lend plush comfort. They’re topped with layers of coconut fibers, horsehair, sheep wool, and recycled denim and then cloaked in organic textiles, such as linen and hemp.

The Galapagos Chair, which features Savian by BioFluff, the world’s first 100% plant-based, plastic-free, vegan alternative to fur and shearling, is an example of how sustainability can be had without compromising on comfort and style.

Hayvenhurst’s oversize rounded, sculptured silhouettes offer a refined nod to the 1980s and ’90s but with an elevated appeal that adapts well to clean, modernist architecture. The fabrics, in soft hues of taupes, creams, grays, and greens, balance the minimalism and bring a quiet sophistication to the designs.

“The fabrics are made with a lot of recycled and recovered materials, but we can compete with all of the high-end brands when it comes to quality and comfort,” Milder says. Jackson adds, “They pretty much blow your mind when you sit on them and feel the comfort of them. It’s unbelievable.”

DESIGNING LASTING GROWTH

All of Hayvenhurst’s furnishings are crafted in Holland, in part because that’s where Milder lives, but also because the country has strict laws which mandate that manufacturers are responsible for managing the entire life cycle of the products they produce.

“In Holland, we have a whole system in order, from collections, to pickups, to recycling. It’s quite a process, and it’s not something you’ll find in every country,” Milder says.

“Our furniture is also circular, so at the end of its life cycle, we can take it back. We use every part of that piece so that the whole cycle starts over again,” Milder continues. “Designing the old-fashioned way is not possible if you want to change the world.”

Jackson agrees. “It’s about honoring the past while looking at where we’re going,” he says. “Hayvenhurst is the way of the future.