EST.18: Design with a focus on craftsmanship, quality and storytelling

EST.18 represents international design brands that live and breathe craftsmanship, quality and storytelling. From beautiful handwoven rugs from SERA HELSINKI, to exceptional furniture inspired by the spirituality of Japanese culture from Ariake, to Portuguese Origin Made that tells the story of every artisan behind its products. Their commonality? Staying true to tradition.

Anja Bothe has worked in the design and furniture industry her entire career, it’s in her DNA. In 2018, she founded her own company EST.18 in Copenhagen, where she represents international design brands. It was not a lifelong dream of being self-employed that made her found EST.18. No, it was something else.

Origin Made. Photo: Jonas Bjerre Poulsen

“In a time when products were manufactured for a purpose and became very commercial, I wanted to take a step back. Look at the story, craftsmanship and technique, from which a product comes alive. To be proud of the product. To remember and honour the human behind the product. From designer to craftsman. For me, this is of big value in a product,” tells Anja Bothe, founder of EST.18.

Photo: Ariake

EST.18 certainly does not wish to disrespect innovation; it’s simply a company dedicated to slowing down a little bit and returning to the tradition, craftsmanship and stories behind our furniture and interior design – from the couch you are sitting on to the vase on your coffee table.

Photo: Ariake

Iconic Japanese furniture

EST.18 currently represents three international design and furniture brands that are simply extraordinary. All three have a deep respect for and dedication to tradition and craftsmanship that is rare; Ariake from Saga, Japan, SERA HELSINKI from Finland, and Origin Made from Portugal. Once you hear the stories of these three brands, you will fall in love with them too.

Ariake was founded more than 60 years ago in Saga, Japan. Today the founder’s grandson, Mr. Kengo Kabashima, has taken leadership of the family company, while his brothers are dedicated to production. His father is still operational and his grandfather lives around the corner from the factory. After all, in Japan you take care of every generation, and nothing gets lost. The respect for the tradition and craftsmanship shines through in every piece of furniture that Ariake makes.

Photo: Origin Made

“Our furniture is made for cosmopolitan living, but it contains the essence of Japan,” explains Gabriel Tan, creative director of Ariake. “We try to meet halfway between traditional Japanese furniture and modern, urban furniture. For instance, we use traditional Japanese indigo dyeing techniques and the cultural red colour, which gives the furniture a distinctive finish.” Ariake also applies the traditional calligraphy ink, sumi, on its wood furniture. Sumi is made by ink makers in Japan by mixing candle soot with water.

Ariake offers its furniture in a wide range of woods from oak to American ash wood, but it also uses hinoki wood from a forest just 45 minutes away from the factory in Saga. “Originally, hinoki wasn’t ideal for furniture because it’s light and soft, but we tried using it for this collection to make our production chain more sustainable, and it worked,” explains Mr. Kengo Kabashima.

Photo: Origin Made

“Hunoki is water resistant so it’s great for bathtubs, spas and hot springs, but we also use it for everyday furniture such as sofas. It has a lovely citrus fragrance that never goes away, it’s like aromatherapy and is proven to have calming effects when you breathe in the scent.” Ariake is also introducing a new dye finish in its latest collection made from persimmon fruit, something that has been used in Japan for centuries but never before on wood.

Ariake works with designers worldwide and once a year everyone spends a week together at the factory in Saga. Here, they can experience Japan, visit the hinoki forest and the lumber mill, and work together with the craftsmen. “You get the feeling of being part of a family,” smiles Bothe. “This brand is amazing, and I’m so proud to be able to be part of this family.”

Photo: Sera Helsinki

Revolutionary inclusive rugs

SERA HELSINKI is another incredible design business that EST.18 represents. The brand combines Scandinavian design with Ethiopian craftsmanship and has a fully transparent production chain. SERA HELSINKI creates the most beautiful rugs you have ever laid eyes on, made from pure sheep wool and without any chemicals. Founder Anna Suoheimo lived in Ethiopia for five years and fell in love with the country and its people, in particular she loved the work of local artisans and their rugs.

“I fell in love with Anna at first sight,” says Bothe. “She’s the kind of person you would like to be with all the time. This is not just about products; it’s a feeling. She works with disabled Ethiopians who live in the mountains. Anna found a way for them to be proud of who they are.”

Photo: Sera Helsinki

SERA HELSINKI has a clear vision of improving inclusivity on every level of the business. Many artisans making the rugs don’t know how to read and write and they have been excluded from the society they live in because of their disabilities. But this is a true story of empowerment, as SERA HELSINKI empowers over 300 people in Ethiopia.

SERA HELSINKI was born from a love for design and a desire to create a better future. When you buy its rugs and towels, you support people who desperately need it but you also get the highest quality. The pure sheep wool is warm, easy to clean and simply beautiful. The collections include knotted and woven rugs made by using different techniques. Every rug is handmade to order and no two products are the same, they vary a little bit in colour and weaving. If properly taken care of, your SERA HELSINKI rug will last you a lifetime.

Photo: Sera Helsinki

Preserving cultures through design

When Anja Bothe established EST.18, she had a clear vision, to honour and tell the stories of craftsmanship and the artisans behind the products. That’s exactly what Origin Made does. The Portugal-based design brand is the brainchild of Gabriel Tan and Cherie Er. The Singapore couple founded the brand in 2019 and moved to Portugal in 2020. “There are many makers in Portugal and lots of brands produce here, but nobody was telling the story of the craftsmen,” says Gabriel Tan, co-founder of Origin Made. “We tell the stories of our makers and designers. Our goal is to create a bridge between traditional handcraft and high-end design.”

Photo: Sera Helsinki

The founders have a deep respect for the Japanese Mingei folk crafts movement, and they understand the importance of preserving these vanishing craft cultures. That’s what they are trying to do with Origin Made, to ensure that authenticity and human connection is at the forefront. “Not only do we want our customers to enjoy original design, we also want them to feel a deeper connection with the people behind the product,” tells Tan. All products are mostly or partially handmade only 90 minutes from the couple’s home in Porto.

While Ariake, SERA HELSINKI and Origin Made might be far apart on the map, their vision and core are the same. “These are not just products or brands, they are artisans,” smiles Bothe. “There is a bigger idea and vision behind all three that align with my values at EST.18. They stay true to and respect the tradition. They are proud of what they do, and I’m so proud of them.”

Photo: Sera Helsinki

You can discover all three brands at the festival 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen, which takes place 12- 14 June. The showroom is located in an old boat house on Kanonbådsvej 4 in the district of Holmen. You can arrive by foot or car, but the best way to experience the showroom is to arrive, you guessed it, by boat. Here you will be met with a spectacular showroom, featuring SERA HELSINKI, Ariake and Origin Made. This is a festival not to miss if you are visiting, or living in, the capital of Denmark.

www.est18.dk
Instagram: @est18.dk

www.ariakecollection.com

Facebook: Ariake Collection Japan
Instagram: @ariake_collection

www.serahelsinki.com
Facebook: serahelsinki
Instagram: @serahelsinki

www.origin-made.com
Facebook: originmade2020
Instagram: @originmade