A renowned Japanese interior designer Katsuya Iwamoto, a founder of EMBODY DESIGN, established manufacturer named ‘Label Creators’ in 2004. They have used traditional techniques to create sustainable products.
Label Creators’ MATE-RE-INNO line was born out of an eco-friendly idea to reclaim surplus materials from the factory into new items. The name MATE-RE-INNO comes from Material Innovation. Here are some of the ethical products designed by Mr Iwamoto that are available at Nagomi Japan.
‘Table-2’ is the most popular product in the MATE-RE-INNO line. The legs of the table are made of solid scrap woods from the veneer manufacturing process. The natural gradation of the legs, which are a combination of various species of wood, is as beautiful as art. Also, the delicate shadows are stunning. The table was featured on the cover of a Japanese design magazine.
When we asked what inspired him to develop the table, Mr Iwamoto said that when he visited a veneer factory, he was surprised to hear that scraps of high-quality wood such as mahogany and teak were thrown away because of their uneven size. The feelings he had there led him to design this table.
The designer did not want to discard the wood, so he used the medium-sized material for the walls of his café. Shorter pieces, less than one meter in length, were used for the chairs, and smaller pieces were applied for the table. Besides, the small parts that cannot be used for the table are used for coasters and chopstick rests.
Each part is made by highly skilled craftsmen in Osaka, who specialize in manufacturing paulownia chests, using traditional Japanese assembling techniques without nails. These days, with the increase in cheap foreign-made furniture, the demand for paulownia chests was decreasing. However, Mr Iwamoto says that the order for this table helped to motivate the craftsmen and to train the younger generation.
‘Table-2’ is the outcome of their ethical approach, which aims to use as little material as possible, and it is an artistic table that will look picturesque just by placing it in a room.
For further information on ‘Table-2’ please contact your nearest Nagomi Japan office in Melbourne, Australia or Tokyo, Japan.
'Table-2' from MATE-RE-INNO designed by Katsuya Iwamoto
