Acoustic canopy is of course also decorative

Swedish furniture company, Green Furniture Concept, specializes in sustainable products for public spaces. In addition to furniture, the company produces a Leaf lamp and Leaf Lamp Tree. Here, the leaves made of wool felt perform both a decorative and acoustic function and are supplied by Hollandfelt.

Katarina Kvist of Green Furniture Concept: "When the company was founded by designer Johan Berhin, it started with one chair. He was shocked by the chemicals used, made in the furniture industry and the unhealthy working environment. Therefore, he started all the way from the basics. Durable wood, eco-friendly glue, oil instead of varnish. It was the beginning of our story." 

The company now offers a wide range of sustainable, modular seating for public interior landscapes. "Can interior spaces create deeper sensory experiences of nature and give people a sense of belonging? We think so," says Kvist.

In 2011, Green Furniture Concept launched a design competition to expand its offerings even further. Designer Peter Schumacher won, with the Leaf Lamp, a lamp made entirely of wood and wool. Several lamps can be combined to create a series or can be clustered to create the effect of a canopy.

"From this design emerged the Leaf Tree. The trunk and branches are made of wood, and the leaves again of wool felt, because of its favorable acoustic and fire safety properties."

Quality and flexibility 

As these products became increasingly popular, Green Furniture Concept looked for a good supplier of wool felt. "We were looking for a party that could supply many colors, but not just in large volumes. Our customers choose which colors they want to use. Therefore, sometimes 100 leaves of one color and 50 of another are needed. It was difficult to find a company that could provide this quality and flexibility. Fortunately, we found this combination in Hollandfelt!" 

Sustainability also remains important to the company in this regard. "The off-white colors are from natural wool, no chemicals were used for this. This is quite unique because suppliers usually bleach their wool anyway. In addition, it is Oeko-tex certified and the origin is clear. In the future we want to work with 100% recycled wool. We have just received the first samples of this from Hollandfelt.  

The Leaf products end up in public spaces, such as train stations. Says Kvist, "Often the furniture is worn out and the customer is trying to do the most with their budget. The trees are ideal for this, because they are a great eye-catcher. A space is filled in so easily, in a very atmospheric way."  

The trees are A -certified, acoustical, durable, and fireproof.

Architects have a lot of freedom when it comes to the Leaf Lamp and Leaf Tree. "In our Designer Tool, customers can visualize how the products look in 3D. This involves the configuration in the room, or the colors of the leaves. There are as many as 100 different colors, which customers can match to their environment, a business or building."

A train station has already chosen three different color combinations, changing with the seasons. White in winter, green in spring and red and yellow in autumn. Green Furniture Concept operates all over the world, and its American subsidiary also imports wool felt from Hollandfelt.