Exakt MFG debuts furniture collection that offers artisanry at scale

Designer Christoffer Söderqvist has launched a furniture brand focused on using technology to facilitate scalable artisanal production, which debuted at the recent Stockholm Design Days event.

Exakt MFG is an evolution of Söderqvist's carpentry business, which manufactures kitchens, shop fittings and furniture at its own factory in the southern Swedish town of Skurup.

With more than three decades of experience creating pieces for other companies, Söderqvist decided to develop his own collection and approached Helsingborg-based design firm Superlab to help create the first products.

The brand, which showed at an exhibition called The Listening Lounge during Stockholm Design Days, aims to produce high-quality furniture that it will sell directly to consumers to keep prices below those of its competitors.

During the event, Söderqvist told Dezeen that his core idea is to create a vertically integrated company with minimal reliance on external suppliers in order to reduce costs and enable a more sustainable, circular approach.

"This vertical integration approach works in the fashion industry and I think that's the way to go with furniture production today," he pointed out.

"We're going to open our own showrooms and sell direct to customers online – like Tesla does, but without Elon Musk."

Exakt MFG's debut collection includes pieces designed by Söderqvist, such as the cheekily titled Assprint stool, along with a sofa and shelving unit developed in collaboration with Superlab.

Söderqvist has known Superlab CEO Niklas Madsen for more than 20 years and felt his brand would benefit from his friend's expertise in helping large manufacturers react to global trends.

"Christopher approached us with the challenge of wanting to create well-made, traditional furniture with a modern touch," Madsen explained.

"What was interesting for us was to try to identify the sweet spot between utilising the factory's machinery and traditional craftsmanship to create products that fill a gap in the market."

The sofa Superlab designed features a painted-wood base and structure that is produced entirely in the Exakt factory, before being shipped to a specialist company in Älmhult to be upholstered using a recycled polyester fabric.

The Echo modular shelving system can be configured in various ways to create a repeating geometric grid. The product is made from particle board and Nordic pine veneer that adds a striking natural surface finish.

Söderqvist also designed a chest of drawers that is crafted from solid oak with traditional dovetail joints, as well as a sideboard and speakers intended to function as a matching set for use alongside premium Hifi equipment.

At Stockholm Design Days, the pieces were used to create a space informed by Japanese listening lounges in the library of the Swedish design association, Svensk Form.

A statement accompanying the exhibition described the brand's approach as "artisanry at scale, enabled by cutting-edge technology," while Söderqvist explained that, for him, "artisanry is about skill, care and responsibility."

"It is a way of working that has gradually shaped how I want to design and take responsibility for what I put into the world. Exakt MFG grew out of that process," he added.

Stockholm Design Days was one of many events that aimed to replace the cancelled Stockholm Design Week, along with Stockholm Creative edition and others.

The photography is courtesy of Christoffer Söderqvist.

The post Exakt MFG debuts furniture collection that offers "artisanry at scale" appeared first on Dezeen.