History
The start to our studio was one afternoon in the mushroom forest a bit from Gävle. We were looking for funnel chanterelles, and at the same time found inspiration for a task we were working on during the last year of our design education.
We were to design lighting that highlighted the interplay between light and shadow and had just come into contact with an exciting material, a kind of biocomposite of forest raw materials. It was malleable and let through light in a very fascinating, almost glowing way - from that we built a lamp similar to a bunch of chanterelles, which was later developed into Studio Tabo.
It started as a school project; an exhibition at the furniture fair in Stockholm with many encouraging words.
The first lamp we designed is also the most intricate, inspired by the yellow-footed funnel chanterelle. We were fascinated by the shape and how the light glows through the narrow neck before shadows fold over the edge. It has an attractive force, a bit like being drawn to a fire. Our conviction is that more people should see it.
The material we use is both renewable and resource-efficient, almost exclusively made from recycled cellulose - a kind of biocomposite with many good properties.
It is emphasized in the company of neat details, often a turned wooden knob and a linen-covered cord. A contrast to the screen dimming in the off state.
"Design is for us a journey of discovery. Constantly sketching out new ideas and building prototypes."
Workshops
As a small-scale creative studio, we place great faith in local production and have gathered both a wood and metal workshop, as well as a collection of specially built 3D printers under our roof. It gives us a direct contact with the production and a full overview of the materials' processing up to the finished product. It also gives a freedom to follow the inspirations of the moment and create freely, without being dependent on others. When an idea arises, it is only a few steps from drawing board to realization.
The lampshades
Our headstrong lampshades are manufactured using 3D printers specifically developed for the task. Since we have built our machines from the ground up, we have a deep understanding of the complex interplay between the amounts of variables, so that the result is as elegant as possible. But we also embrace the artifacts that technology brings - in our eyes, the distinctive structure of the 3D printer adds an extra dimension of life to the material. The result is a lampshade true to our design language but different from any other.
"We both agreed that if we are to start manufacturing products, it must be in a sustainable way."
Wood details
Working with wood is natural in our quest to create beautiful things that are appreciated by others. Our goal is for people to connect to our products on both a material and emotional level, and what else is so deeply rooted in us as the beautiful expression of wood.
We use traditional craft methods in the processing of the various types of wood, with a special preference for the lathe's reliability and efficiency. A reasonable dose of carpentry joy is also important.
Metal
Our metal workshop has most of the tools for machining metals of various kinds. It is a valuable complement to our work with renewable materials when there are requirements for surface and strength that only steel can meet. Fortunately, steel has a very long life cycle, albeit resource-intensive production.
Sustainability
We want our products to leave as little ecological footprint as possible and therefore almost always opt out of fossil plastics in our production. In some cases, regulations for, among other things, electrical safety mean that we must deviate from that principle. Then we do our utmost to minimize the amount of material and make clear how it is handled in the right way.
In our design, the starting point is always that a product can be repaired by the handy person, and that the different materials can easily be separated and returned to the respective cycle.
Our hope is that what we create will provide benefit and joy for a long time, without using more resources than necessary.
When a lampshade has done its thing, or been damaged for that matter, it can be burned with a low climate footprint. Because we spray the lampshades with a water-borne varnish, as protection against both UV and dirt, a finished lampshade does not go back into the production cycle. It does, however, waste and the lampshades that do not live up to our requirements.