Summer in Stockholm Old Town has been unfolding gracefully during the past three months. One fine project for me was to co-edit a special issue of Selvedge Magazine on ”Nordic Design and Sustainability”. Scandi brands like Bolon, John Sterner, Kvadrat, Pia Wallén, Studio Brieditis & Evans and many more, share with you how they work with sustainability. Don’t miss out!
Cover ”Selvedge Magazine no 96”. Photo by Malin Lauterbach for Swedish fashion and lifestyle brand John Sterner.
Stockholm Design Week is up-and-running and during its first day I was delighted to meet with four longtime favourites dressed up in lots and lots and lots of colour! Bolon, ever so fun and stylish! Montana, the very essence of sophisticated Scandi colour schemes. TAF, as orange and conceptual as ever. And Svenskt Tenn, where maximalism rules and you’re welcome to loose yourself in the eclectic world of Estrid Ericson and Josef Frank. It makes me happy to find contemporary interpretations of colour applied with such love and great skill!
Bolon do not present news this year. Instead they’ve digged into their existing collection and played with it, trying out new ”outfits” and stepping up on an imaginary stage. ”The Art of Performance” (2020) is a magical trip into the curious minds of sisters/third generation owners Annica and Marie Eklund. Inspiration is drawn from fashion, art as well as photography. And the result is an inspiring new take on sustainable flooring. Take a look:
”The Art of Performance” by Bolon (2020). Bolon flooring in new combinations, CO2 neutral production, certified by several environmental standards. Photo and video copyright Bolon.
At the launch at Montana, CEO Joakim Lassen presented Mini, created in collaboration with his father, the late Peter Lassen. With Mini the fab danes make room not only for personality but for accessability to qualitative design. Montana Mini comes with smaller proportions as the regular modular system, and not as many alternative units and colours. ”Today there’s already so many choices to face in our daily life”, says Joakim Lassen. And explains how Montana deals with new customer habits, like online shopping. ”When you’re buying furniture online it is not suitable with, let’s say, several shades of white to choose between”, says Joakim Lassen. ”To make it easier for our clients we’ve created a system of moduls with fewer parts, fewer colours, fewer choices”. Even so, less is as much Montana as ever and Mini cover most needs for storage in a home.
Montana Mini, by Peter and Joakim Lassen (2020). Available in 3 versions (open, closed, shelved), in 10 matching colours. The modules snap together with strong magnets securing that the storage i aligned, and maintaining the sleek, clean lines that is the trademark style of Montana. Photo copyright Montana.
TAF design studio, with founders Gabriella Gustafson and Mattias Ståhlbom, has made a strong interpretation of Svenskt Tenn and the premium segment of handmade furniture from Sweden. The sofa Famna (”Embrace”) is huge and heavy, stands steady on the floor and is a given ”piece of conversation”: Inspired by a generous comfy bed or classic bath-tub, and the feel when you slowly let yourself into the warm and comforting… to relax.
Famna, sofa by TAF for Svenskt Tenn (2020). Handmade construction and upholstering by O.H Sjögrens Furniture Factory in Tranås, Sweden. Comes in several textiles, from classic Brazil by Josef Frank to a luxurious orange velvet. Photo copyright Svenskt Tenn.
Recently I’v worked for the Swedish Insitute, producing design related content for their site .sweden.se, which is Sweden’s official website. As always when digging my head into the history of Swedish design I feel humble. Before all the amazing designers and producers bringing high quality Scandi style into our lives.
Contemporary Swedish design: BAUX acoustic pulp by Form Us With Love for BAUX (2019) is a sound absorbing panel made of 100 % bio-based pane, in colouring created by using different amounts of natural wheat in the material. Photo: Jonas Lindström/BAUX.
Award-winning Swedish design: Diversity woven vinyl flooring from Bolon recently won the NYCxDESIGN award 2019, in the category ”Contract Flooring”. Congrats! Styling by Saša Antić. Photo: Pär Olofsson/Bolon. The stylish Dandy sofa comes from Swedish marvels Massproductions.
In addition to ”Mellan handen och ögat” exhibition at Svensk Hemslöjd during Stockholm Design Week there’re seminars on different aspects of sustainability. Tuesday’s and Thursday’s ”Hållbara Samtal” are held in Swedish, Wednesday’s ”Sustainable Talk” is held in English. Welcome!
The exhibition ”Mellan handen och ögat” is up and running at fab Svensk Hemslöjd in Stockholm. More than 60 producers present new and old work. If in Stockholm come and experience handicraft and craft in a design context! Produced and curated by Cia Wedin in collaboration with Jenny Berge/Svensk Hemslöjd.
Stitch carpet by Pia Wallén for Asplund Collection, Ticka Bowls by Jennie Adén. Styling Cia Wedin. Photo copyright Anna Kern/Svensk Hemslöjd.
Flooring Elements by Bolon, Bowl table by Andreas Engesvik for Fogia, wool and mittens from Svensk Hemslöjd. Styling Cia Wedin. Photo copyright Anna Kern/Svensk Hemslöjd.
Deer by Gunnar Johnsson and Dalahorse by Nils Olsson. Styling Cia Wedin. Photo copyright Anna Kern/Svensk Hemslöjd.
Bowl by Åke Landström, Spoon by Andreas Heurlin, table cloth Våga by Växbo Lin. Styling Cia Wedin. Photo copyright Anna Kern/Svensk Hemslöjd.
Bolsterkudde cushion från Klässbols, Kranium wooden skull by Acne JR. Styling Cia Wedin. Photo copyright Anna Kern/Svensk Hemslöjd.
Ekblad cushion by Maria Åström, Stockholm No 1 chair by Larsson korgmakare, flooring Elements by Bolon, Book socle by Jessica Signell Knutsson. Styling Cia Wedin. Photo copyright Anna Kern/Svensk Hemslöjd.
It is interesting that one of Sweden’s leading companies when it comes to sustainability produce plastic flooring. Bolon show us that with hard work and new ideas it is actually possible for a brand to work with an environmentally ”difficult” product in a highly environmental friendly way.
This summer the Ulricehamn based company launched a new non glue product, a tape that allows their flooring to be easily installed and removed without contamination. Previously, the glue used to affix Bolon’s flooring contaminated the material and made recycling difficult. They have also developed a new technique for installing tiles and studio products that does not affect the product’s recyclability. ”We see a possible future in which our product have no negative impact on the environment and can be recycled and reused over and over again,”, says Marie Eklund, Bolon’s CEO.
Bolon are also testing new ways to recycle postconsumer waste. Hence they have developed a take-back service for worn-out flooring, to be up and running in 2020. They are currently looking at the possibility of a leasing service for flooring fixed with the new No Glue technique. N B Bolon flooring are installed world wide!
Bolon also stated that their goal is to use 100% of the waste in new products; so far 33 % of the waste from the production in Ulricehamn is used as backing.
Bolon’s updated sustainability strategy is due for release on October 1st, 2018. Don’t miss out! Photo copyright Bolon.
In a few days the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair 2018 will be up and running. My mailbox is filling up with interesting previews of ideas and possibilities to experience and learn more about design! Here’s some brand and designer news to keep an eye on during the Design Week:
Designtorget in collaboration with students from Beckmans College of Design in Stockholm. Morfar wheat warmer by Isabel Wagner and Olivia Tognelli Brontén is a real teaser with its ”grandpa + cat + relaxing + eco feel good” interpretation!
Wästberg + Dawid: ”Farewell to the Cave” jubilee celebration (Wästberg ten years), art exhibition by fab photographer Dawid and launch of a new book by Magnus Wästberg. Product launch? None!
Articles = Cube by Carina Seth Andersson and Socialclub by Anna von Schewen. Two exceptionally gifted designers. Two products. A launch and an exhibition.
Iittala Design Talk – Colours for Living where Jeremiah Tesolin (Creative Director, Iittala), Matti Klenell (Interior designer), Lotta Agaton (Interior designer) and Katri Saarikivi (Researcher of cognitive near science, topic colour and emotion, Helsinki University) take on a discussion on the ”power of colours and how they inspire better living within our home”.
Jessica Signell Knutsson; elegant but bold minimalism by the Swedish furniture designer from her designstudio in Barcelona. Exhibited by Astrid.
Bolon. In situ at several exhibition spaces at the Fair we’ll experience the magic of Bolon flooring; in ”Thammada” – an installation by Paola Navone, Guest of Honor at the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair 2018; in the exhibition and café by Nick Ross for the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair Greenhouse area; in ”Panorama” – an exhibition on democratic architecture.
Gärsnäs. New work by David Ericsson, Färg & Blanche and others, displayed in a space designed by TAF architects.
…is too often a kind of green-washing for brands aware of the sustainability trend. But remember my post on flooring and colours? Pia Wallén, Bolon and Kasthall all do a great work bringing forth new ideas, techniques and materials for the benefit of climate as well as their workers and customers. Let’t take a look:
Pia Wallén is dedicated to pure materials and has developed new organic qualities for the cotton blankets and a strict green policy for the wool used in blankets and accessories. The products are made in Sweden and Pia Wallén goes for quality in every aspect of the production, from the design process and research for the very best materials, to the collaboration with a small family owned weavery. It is an exclusive and slow process as the product has to be top notch, to stand a chance in the textile market.
Cross Blanket Midnight Blue, by Pia Wallén. Made in Sweden in eco cotton from Peru. Size 160×240 cm. Photo copyright Länna Möbler.
Bolon is a brand always pushing forward, bringing new takes on sustainability. With the vision of a future without footprints Bolon creates products that respects the environment from several perspectives. These are: 1. Product recycling. 2. No use of dangerous substances. 3. Exceeding legislation and industry standards. 4. Anticipating future legislation. 5. Purchasing practices. 6. Production using renewable energy. 7. Energy recovery from the floor after use.
New this October is Bolon Green Weld – the very first non toxic welding on the market. A welcome innovation, especially for the person working with installing the floor. This new glue is completely free from the common toxic component Tetrahydrofuran!
Kasthall recently launched Harvest – a new concept where the brand make use of spill over yarn from their production. As all Kasthall’s rugs are made to order there are often two or three spools of a certain colour yarn left over after weaving a rug. This because they make of a few extra spools in case there’s a need to redo something during the production process. The brand cannot reuse the residual spools of wool for rugs in the same collection due to the risk of minor colour discrepancies. The variation in colour of the residual spools of yarn posed a challenge and inspired Kasthall to find a new way to put it to use.
Harvest by Ellinor Eliasson for Kasthall (2017) is a woven rug in 100 % wool made from left over yarn. This new approach on the classical Swedish rag rug comes in six colour combination but you never know beforehand which yarn will be used. The client may choose colourscheme but the rug’ll be unique. Harvest is framed with an edge, in which the colour-shifts of the rug is repeated and mixed. Photo copyright Kasthall.
Sophisticated, cool and sassy…with a hint of humour? Contemporary Scandi is well beyond the traditional look of classic modernism. And moves effortlessly in a including international style. You see it with all the best producers as they’re presenting their news for 2018.
Flooring is one interesting area where the Swedish brands do very well; Asplund, Bolon and Kasthall goes international with an absolutely stunning apporach to colour.
Pia Walléns kelim Stitch for Asplund (2017) comes in 100 % wool in exquisite, sophisticated colours Black indigo, Camel, Olive, Orange and Yellow. Hand woven with hand stitched crosses based on Pia’s classic Crux pattern. Photo copyright Pia Wallén.
Stitch carpet/table cloth by Pia Wallén is reversible, with pattern on both sides. You may use Stitch as a rustic table cloth! How beautiful! Photo copyright Pia Wallén.
Villa La Madonna soft rug by Bolon (2017) here in colours Smoke and Moss. Environmental friendly PVC and wool. Size 2 x 3 m. Photo copyright Bolon.
Kasthall, especially with gifted designer Maja Johansson Staranders work, make a strong impression. The flirt with fashion, the elegant yet pragmatic feel. These are rugs or wall-to-wall flooring of a sustainable quality made to last long, if not for ever. Picture from the Kasthall Showroom in New York. Photo copyright Kasthall.
On the wall: Field bouclé rug by Maja Johansson Starander for Kasthall (2017). Hand tufted in 100 % wool. On the floor: Castle rug by Maja Johansson Starander for Kasthall (2017). Woven chenille rug in linen and wool. And Häggå Shimmer by Gunilla Lagerhem Ullberg, here in Sicilian Mandarine in wool with golden lurex threads. Photo copyright Kasthall.
In 2017 we challenge climate change by integrating sustainabilty in every aspect of producing, using and…re-using of design! Scandi brands has taken to promote themselves as especially interested in sustainability vs a strong visual approach.
Here’s some flooring news from Swedish brands Bolon, Fogia and Kasthall. To be presented during the Stockholm Design Week and Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair this coming week. And as you can see we’re still in for blue shades, no matter how green the Spring!
Material by Bolon (2017) is a new collection where innovative mixing of materials take contract flooring to a new level. Handsome wool threads woven into the recycled plastic of Bolon…Wow! Photo copyright Bolon.
Fields by Kasthall (2017) is hand tufted in a loop technique which leave the thread uncut and thus make the surface more resistant (to longterm wear). The simple graphic pattern is inspired by ploughed fields and traditional Swedish floorboards and wallpanels. Photo copyright Kasthall.
Ropemaker Rug by TAF for Fogia (2017) make spledid use of ideas about local heritage, craftsmen, natural materials etc, creating a longlasting rug with a very contemporary feel. Photo copyright Fogia.
With the launch of their new flooring collection called Flow, Swedish design company Bolon gives proof to their vision of ”A Future Without Footprints”. Flow has a bottom layer of recycled material from Bolon’s recently commissioned onsite recycling plant which results in the end product compromising up to 33% recycled material. It comes in roles and tiles. Bolon also introduces Scale, the company’s first organic tile shape.
Flow flooring collection by Bolon (2015). Photo copyright Bolon.
Flow flooring collection by Bolon (2015). Photo copyright Bolon.