Matriarch Rounds Out the In Your Skin Upholstery Collection

Matriarch is the sixth and final addition to the In Your Skin upholstery collection, a collaboration between HBF Textiles and product and interiors designer Erin Ruby. Aptly named, Matriarch is a twill weave with strong color combinations that evoke wisdom and experience. Visually, the twill blends bold complementary colored yarns to create a subtle melange and moire effect.

The six sensorial textiles in the woven fabric collection celebrate being comfortable in your own skin, inspired by the human experience and the ephemeral nature of life. Tactile with a handmade quality, In Your Skin looks like a residential product, yet has the durability for contract and hospitality environments. Each of the fabrics are certified Indoor Advantage Gold (SCS), woven and manufactured in the United States with wool locally sourced from the Midwest, and most patterns are made using post-consumer and/or recycled materials.

In Your Skin marks Ruby’s third collaboration with HBF Textiles. “Sometimes contract textiles can tend toward being cold or lifeless for pragmatic reasons, but this collection is so warm and tactile even with its high performance functionality. It’s full of life – imbued with optimism and aspiration, which I think will resonate within a space,” she shared.

The collaboration continues HBF Textiles’ focus on supporting women-owned businesses. “I love promoting talented female designers. It gives me a sense of pride to utilize the HBF Textiles platform to share their story and creative vision to a wider audience,” says Mary Jo Miller, Vice President of Design and Creative Direction at HBF Textiles. With like-minded mills and collaborators locally and globally, the brand continually explores the possibilities materiality can offer and how it can further connect us with other people and our environment.

To learn more about Matriarch, visit hbftextiles.com.

3form Flek Pure Is a 100% Recycled Material That Remains Translucent

Just because a product exists doesn’t mean you should stop trying to improve upon it. Such is the case with 3form’s Flek Pure, a 100 percent recycled material primarily sourced from 3form’s own in-house waste. Flek originally made its debut in 2019 using roughly 75 percent recycled material. Now, Flek Pure achieves 3form’s long-term goal of maximizing the amount of repurposed material used while also maintaining its translucency, unlike most recycled products on the market.

“The most exciting part of the design process was our motivation to keep innovating,” says 3form’s product development team, who spent the better part of a decade bringing Flek Pure to life. “We didn’t stop when the Flek Collection first launched because we knew we wouldn’t be satisfied until we reached 100 percent recycled material. This was a challenging, extensive process, but the result is so rewarding.”

During the manufacturing process of Flek Pure panels, internally sourced edge trimmings, returned samples, and reclaimed materials of 3form’s signature Varia resin are upcycled. These remnants are encapsulated and the pellets are carefully sorted by 3form’s optical sorter for clarity and cleanliness. The final product is a texturized, terrazzo-like material that’s sustainable and durable, as well as full of depth that allows for beautiful shadow play.

After Flek’s introduction in 2019, 3form wanted to upgrade the production process of the panels to further reflect the sustainable end product. The product development team sourced new materials and updated the supply chain, increasing Flek’s recycled content from 71 percent to 100 percent for Flek Pure applications.

From process to product, these sustainability achievements are a culmination of 3form’s nearly 20-year commitment to Align, a program of earth- and people-centric initiatives focused on three main pillars: people, product, and planet. Align effectively re-doubles 3form’s efforts to pursue environmentally and socially responsible design. Extending to all members of the 3form family, they strive to develop materials with intentionality that will empower architects, designers, and consumers to make smart choices about how they buy and build. By creating a closed-loop product, like Flek Pure, 3form raises their internal standard for future products and contributes to the restoration of our planet and the betterment of human lives. Align is the next step toward net-positive manufacturing within all 3form companies.

As architects and designers strive for higher sustainability standards in the materials they use, Flek Pure delivers closed-loop solutions to privacy partitions, room dividers, accent pieces, exterior walls, and more. Professionals can also contribute to 3form’s waste reduction. When designers order any of 3form’s Varia materials or return product samples to 3form’s Salt Lake City headquarters (using prepaid shipping labels), the materials are pelletized to be used for Flek.

Flek is part of 3form’s Varia product platform, which carries a Greenguard Gold Certification, is Declare Red List Free, and has an Optimized Environmental Product Declaration label. Flek is available in 4’x8’ and 4’x10’ panels, with 1/4″, 3/8″, and 1/2″ gauges, and a two-week lead time.

Flek Pure is a clear colorway made using 100 percent recycled content. The material’s translucent appearance offers the best of both worlds, allowing for natural light while maintaining separation and a level of privacy. Color can be added with Flek Bask (peachy gold), Flek Crescent (neutral taupe), and Flek Charge (electric yellow), as well as nine other colorways.

To learn more about the benefits and capabilities of Flek Pure or to order a free sample, visit 3form.com.

Meet Kana’s New, Strong + Versatile Milo Bakeware Collection

Functional kitchenware is wonderful, but when it’s also aesthetically pleasing we’re likely to love it all the more. Meet Milo bakeware, Kana’s newest addition to the brand. Ergonomically designed with large handles, tri-ply clad stainless steel, and an aluminum core for even heat distribution and retention, this dishwasher-safe bakeware features all of the strength and versatility that we love. You can use these pieces as bakeware, grillware, and serveware because they’re all rolled into one. Thanks to sturdy construction, you can even use them on your open flame outdoor grill – the bakeware is resistant to temperatures up to 1000º F!

The design of Kana’s non-toxic Milo bakeware pulls from the brand’s mission of versatility, durability, elegance, and values. Rethinking the status quo and turning utilitarian pieces into everyday staples worthy of your cabinet space was the ultimate goal. A durable alternative to stonewarDe, this thoughtfully designed bakeware gracefully moves between the heat source and the dining table, leaving you with more space and fewer dishes to wash.

The individual pieces of the collection are made in standard bakeware sizes – the perfect fit for pre-cut parchment. The tri-ply clad stainless steel that makes up Milo bakeware uses two layers of stainless steel to sandwich an aluminum core. The aluminum ensures perfect heat distribution, while the outer layers of non-toxic stainless steel keep your food from coming into contact with the aluminum. It’s even suitable for commercial use.

It’s obvious that Kana puts as much thought into the aesthetics of the design as they do the technology and engineering. Milo Bakeware came to be after two years of research, development, and prototyping. Marise Perusse, Brand General Manager at Kana, worked with Dikini, a talented industrial design studio based in Montreal, to bring together the right material, size, and finish that would make cake pans and sheet pans a versatile staple in the kitchen. Every detail has a rhyme and a reason in this timeless, eco-friendly bakeware line that’s meant to be a focal point while dining with the people you love. None of the sustainably sourced and recycled materials compromise on quality. Just as good, the pieces are designed to last forever – or they’re biodegradable so as to leave no trace.

“Goods Made Better” is the ethos behind everything that Kana does, not only through the durable, sustainable materials used, but also the people and places the brand works with. Furthermore, Kana offsets 100% of the carbon emissions released as a result of shipping items, and invests in projects that reduce carbon emissions by the same amount. The brand also works with 1% for the Planet, an environmental initiative supporting non-profit organizations for a better future.

Aside from Kana’s Milo bakeware, the brand also offers an original collection of cookware, Dutch ovens, textiles, and parchment paper. It’s reassuring to know that every purchase – no matter how small – helps make a real difference in your home and around the globe. Learn more at kanalifestyle.com.

Discarded Punched Metal Sheets Become Jewel-Like Cabinets

Netherlands-based Teun Zwets is an emerging designer who is known for his work made from residual or waste materials. When Hans Lensvelt, CEO of the furniture label Lensvelt, reached out to the designer to work on a collaboration, the executive had just one requirement – that Zwets create a modular collection that could be produced in a series. The result was Le Petit Boudoir, a colorful collection of ten jewel-colored cabinets, all made from discarded punched metal sheets from Lensvelt’s manufacturing process.

While most designers start their design process by putting pen to paper, Zwets began by making cardboard prototypes. After the patterned cabinets were assembled, they looked like giant jewels when the collection was first presented in a white illuminated box, hence the name Le Petit Boudoir. When you look closely at each piece, you can see the various cut outs and shapes that are a part of Lensvelt’s furniture.

To learn more about Le Petit Boudoir, visit lensvelt.nl.

Photos by Peter Tijhuis.