Following the launch of Reloved, Bang & Olufsen’s new certified pre-owned programme, CEO Kristian Teär discusses the brand’s intrinsic values of longevity and circularity
Courtesy of Bang & Olufsen, Reloved is a new certified pre-owned programme launched by the Danish luxury audio brand
Words by Roddy Clarke
‘Reloved formalises something that has always been integral to Bang & Olufsen: an uncompromising belief in longevity as the ultimate expression of craftsmanship, responsibility, and true luxury,’ states Kristian Teär, the CEO of the renowned Danish audio brand. Having repaired and serviced products for many years, the brand has now decided to formalise the process through a certified programmed titled Reloved. Through a dedicated online platform, customers have the opportunity to purchase pre-owned, authenticated and certified original Bang & Olufsen designs, made available through curated monthly drops.
Photography by Jonas Pryner Andersen, Kristian Teär, CEO at Bang & Olufsen
While keeping products in circularity has been the intention of the brand since its inception, this new formalised process is making it easier for customers to access pre-owned items with the peace of mind that it is fully certified by the brand directly. ‘It takes our commitment one step further by closing the loop,’ says Teär. ‘We are actively designing a second chapter for each piece.’ With the brand also recently celebrating its 100-year anniversary, this timely launch is a reminder of the brand’s respect and responsibility for materials, craftsmanship and time. ‘Our approach to circularity is about taking responsibility for what we put into the world,’ he continues, ‘designing products to be cared for, to endure, and to remain relevant over time.’
Courtesy of Bang & Olufsen, Since its inception in 1925, Bang & Olufsen has championed quality and longevity ensuring its designs live on for generations and multiple lifespans
Products available through Reloved are put through a meticulous process. Once traded in they are inspected, refurbished, certified and then resold with up to a three-year warranty. ‘Our products are crafted for multiple lifespans,’ Teär comments. ‘They become part of people’s homes, routines and memories, held onto for a chapter and then passed on when the time feels right. They carry stories with them.’ When listed, each product is also graded according to its condition: Mint, Excellent or Good. This way, there is full transparency while the warranty adds further trust.
Courtesy of Bang & Olufsen, Alongside the launch of Reloved, the brand also launched a Centennial Collection of products to celebrate its 100-year anniversary
In a sector where obsolescence has been normalised to feed the hype culture of consumers in the technology world, the inherent longevity of Bang & Olufsen’s products provides a refreshing alternative. ‘Design excellence, material integrity, and engineering precision are not abstract ideals for us, they are practical realities that allow a product made decades ago to perform beautifully today,’ Teär says. ‘Our warranty stands as a clear expression of our confidence in the enduring quality. And, in the context of technology, this level of assurance is rare, and it speaks directly to the seriousness with which we approach longevity.’ With many of the brand’s products revered as they age, subtle signs of use also add to their character, adding to the personal stories that surround each design and again paying testament to their structural superiority.
Courtesy of Bang & Olufsen, Each product traded in to the Reloved programme undergoes thorough inspection before being refurbished, certified and then resold with up to a three-year warranty
While celebrating the brand’s centenary has been an opportunity to reflect, Teär says it is also about earning the right to look forward. ‘Reloved is a clear signal of how Bang & Olufsen will evolve over the next century: with intention, responsibility, and an unwavering commitment to timeless design,’ he says. Continuing to build upon the foundation laid out by Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen in 1925, Teär reaffirms how the brand is led with that same spirit today. ‘We have a never failing will to create only the best and to persistently find new ways to ensure every product we make is built to last, cared for, and able to live multiple lives,’ he concludes. ‘As we enter our second century, our ambition is to make better things, thoughtfully designed to endure and continue delighting generations to come. Reloved reflects a future where craftsmanship, technology and sustainability are not competing priorities, but inseparable ones. That is the direction we are committed to, for the next 100 years and beyond.’
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