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New Zealand Brands in the Spotlight at Design Show Australia
At Design Show Australia, Sydneysiders can experience Aotearoa New Zealand’s innovative approach to luxury design and quality manufacturing first-hand – and learn how the country’s natural materials are uniquely sustainable.
Australians will have the opportunity to experience New Zealand’s innovative, quality approach to luxury design and manufacturing as eight leading brands from Aotearoa New Zealand show off their wares at the Design Show Australia in Sydney. From June 13-15, the brands – Abodo, Floc, Baya, Wilson & Dorset, Stoked, CS Cavity Sliders, Fastmount and Felton – will flaunt the country’s natural materials and unique design approach at the NZ Pavilion, the first international pavilion in the show’s history. The eight brands represent the diversity of what New Zealand has to offer the world of architecture and interiors.
The eight brands represent the diversity of what New Zealand has to offer the world of architecture and interiors.
Visitors can witness the impressive structure and aesthetics of Abodo’s feature timber cladding, screening, decking and panelling, which is ethically harvested from New Zealand rapidly renewable radiata pine regenerative forests. The family-owned business naturally fortifies its timber products with heat, steam and a unique vertical grain to withstand the elements and grace buildings with lasting beauty.
New Zealand is famous for its wool – and Floc shows off an entirely new side and use for the natural fibre via its innovative wool acoustic panels. Floc’s collection pulls multiple duties, acting as sound absorbers while also working to regulate interior temperature and improving air quality. This unique product is also sustainably grown and biodegradable, and can be used creatively in a number of settings.
Wool is also the star of Baya’s ultra-stylish throws and floor rugs, which bring refined style and comfort to both residential and commercial spaces. Additionally, the company crafts chic products from linen and cotton that celebrate the possibilities of New Zealand’s natural materials and fabrics.
While Floc is all about innovating with wool, Wilson & Dorset works with sheepskin to create a range of stunning products. It continues a 100,000-year-old tradition of humans being comforted by sheepskin by sustainably sourcing sheepskin that’s a byproduct of the meat industry to craft extraordinary rugs, floor cushions, seat covers and more, evoking the elemental beauty of New Zealand.
Though stainless steel doesn’t conjure rugged nature in the same way as sheepskin, just as much love and care goes into Stoked’s peerless range of spas, plunge pools and baths. Every one of its products is made by hand by a passionate team of craftspeople, imbuing the range with a level of care and attention not often found in the realm of swimming and bathing vessels.
For almost 40 years, CS Cavity Sliders has been a favourite of designers, builders and home renovators around the world for its seamlessly sleek and stylish doors. The company has been integral in modernising and improving sliding door technology, becoming a global leader in the industry from its base in Auckland, showcasing how New Zealand punches above its weight when it comes to design innovation.
Form and function are firm bedfellows at Fastmount, a pioneer in panel mounting solutions that has a rich heritage in the marine industry and is now widely used in the architectural and furniture industries. Fastmount celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and is now available in 40 countries through more than 50 distributors, and has amassed 130 million clip sales.
Felton has been designing and manufacturing tapware and shower-ware since 1968 and its products have been recognised internationally, with Red Dot, German Design and Australian Good Design awards. Its innovations and design aesthetics not only look good but are certified to the highest standards to benefit both installers and end-users. The company takes sustainability seriously and is dedicated to minimising its environmental footprint.
Felton’s products have been recognised internationally with Red Dot, German Design and Australian Good Design awards.
The full impact of the innovations in sustainability coming out of New Zealand were distilled into a panel discussion with five of the companies exhibiting at the show. Representatives from Abodo, Baya, Floc, Stoked and Wilson & Dorset gathered to discuss how natural materials – such as pine, wool and harakeke (flax) – are being harnessed in New Zealand to progress sustainable design, and why the principle of ‘kaitiakitanga’ (guardianship of the land) is behind everything the country’s designers consider when it comes to traceability and responsibly sourcing materials.
Design Show Australia 2024, June 13-15, ICC Sydney.
