In short
We use a few materials and let them look like what they are.
Colour comes from Valchromat®, strength from oak and birch, and the small details from brass. Everything is finished with the same oil, which protects the wood without covering it up.
01 · Valchromat®
The colour goes all the way through
Valchromat® is made from pine wood fibres, dyed with organic dyes and pressed into boards in Portugal. The colour isn't a layer on top, so a scratch in the surface is the same colour as the rest of the board.
- Available in
- Nine colours
- Moisture
- Moisture-resistant, bathrooms included
- Toy safety standard
- EN 71-3
- Used in
- NicNac, Balance, Levitate, Bjørk, Wasteless and Grounded
The nine colours
- Sand
- Light Grey
- Khaki Green
- Yellow
- Orange
- Red
- Green
- Blue
- Black
02 · Solid oak
For the parts that carry the load
The oak dowel on Grounded, the rail on Adapt, the Anchor hook and the central dowel in Wasteless are solid oak from European forests. There's no veneer, so nothing can lift at the edges. The oak turns a little darker and warmer the longer you have it.
- Used in
- Grounded, Adapt, Anchor and Wasteless
- Origin
- European forests
- Finish
- Rubio Monocoat®
03 · Birch plywood
Light to look at, strong in use
Plywood is thin layers of birch glued together with the grain running crosswise. That makes the board strong for its weight, and it keeps its shape. We use it for the frames and legs on Bjørk and for the mechanism in Levitate, where you can see the layers along the edge.
- Used in
- Bjørk table, Bjørk stool and Levitate
- Origin
- European forests
04 · Brass
The small details
The fittings on Grounded are solid brass. On Adapt, the standoffs are brass, and the hooks have a steel core with a brass finish, so they can take a heavy winter coat.
- Used in
- Grounded and Adapt
05 · Oil and glue
One oil for everything
Every piece is finished by hand with Rubio Monocoat® Oil Plus 2C, a plant-based oil with wax. It bonds with the surface in a single coat and protects without leaving a film on top, so the wood still feels like wood.
The oil contains no solvents (0% VOC). The glue is Titebond, which is FDA-approved for indirect food contact.
The surface of your furniture
- Rubio Monocoat® Oil Plus 2C
- Plant-based oil and wax in a single coat. No solvents (0% VOC).
- Titebond glue
- FDA-approved for indirect food contact.
- Paint
- None. The colour is in the Valchromat® board, and the oak and birch are left as wood.
06 · Care
How to look after your furniture
-
Every day
Wipe with a damp cloth. You don't need any special products.
-
Spills
Wipe up spills straight away so they don't sit on the surface.
-
After a few years
If the surface looks tired, you can freshen it up with Rubio Monocoat® Refresh.
Questions
Questions about our materials
Is Valchromat® the same as MDF?
Both are boards made from wood fibres. The difference is that Valchromat® is coloured all the way through with organic dyes, and the board is denser and stronger than standard MDF.
Can the furniture go in a bathroom?
Yes. Balance and Levitate are made from Valchromat®, which is moisture-resistant, and the oil protects against splashes. Wipe off water so it doesn't sit on the surface.
Where does the wood come from?
The oak and birch come from European forests. Valchromat® is made in Portugal from pine wood fibres.
Why don't you paint your furniture?
Because you should be able to see what your furniture is made of. The colour is in the board itself, and the oak and birch are left to look like wood.