Refugio Bees

As a continuation of the work Refugio Bees have done over the last few years, Apidae proposes a system of objects for raising Meliponini bees. This system consists of breeding boxes, which function as ‘houses’ for the hives, as well as a kit to fabricate potes and piqueras.

Apidae is a project that seeks to improve our relationship with nature, specifically with a group of bees known as Meliponini. This species is known for producing phenomenal honey and being the main pollinators of many native foods in Mexico, as well as being essential for the conservation of the biodiversity of the ecosystems they inhabit.

MOWO, move with wood

Wood, but thought completely differently! 🌿 MOWO, move with wood, uses wood in a completely new way, using it as an elastic, flexible material that allows movement when sitting. All products are made from molded plywood and do not require any metal or plastic – the wooden elements are connected solely by cords, which combine stability and flexibility.

With three different stools, MOWO offers a wide range of new sitting experiences that bring movement to the desk and thus enable healthy sitting.

MOWO uses FSC-certified veneers. The certificate ensures that the wood products come from forests that are managed according to the strict standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). These standards take into account environmental aspects such as the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity, social aspects such as the rights of workers and communities, and economic aspects to ensure the sustainable use of forest resources.

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Clive Russell

Russell was one of the earliest members and collaborators of Extinction Rebellion, a global movement to persuade governments to act on the climate emergency.

Russell is a UK graphic designer who creates groundbreaking identities for cultural movements and causes. He is a co-founder of This Ain’t Rock’n’Roll, a London-based studio whose client list includes the Tate, The National Gallery, Right to Repair etc. His work has won multiple awards (he turned down the nomination for Design of the Year in 2019 for his Extinction Rebellion work) and is in permanent collections at V&A, British Museum, MOMA and the Smithsonian.

He was a central part of the team that created the movement’s distinctive visual identity. The design work was released with a Do-It-Together message inspiring artists, activists and designers to use, interpret and add to the original design. Russell also co-founded the artist collective Ocean Rebellion and helped start the Museum of Care and the David Graeber Institute where he remains a collaborator.

Bobby Kolade

Kolade’s brand first collection is titled Return to Sender, and is made entirely out of waste textiles sourced from second-hand markets across Uganda. Each piece is redesigned and redistributed to the Global North, where the raw materials were originally bought and discarded.

Bobby Kolade is a fashion designer from Uganda who started his career in Berlin and Paris, cutting his teeth at major companies like Maison Margiela and Balenciaga. In 2018, he returned to his hometown of Kampala and was struck by the severe decline of the country’s textile industry. Today, he is the creative powerhouse behind BUZIGAHILL, an independent label that brings attention to this issue through art, clothing and activism.

As co-host of the podcast Vintage or Violence, Kolade further examines the true cost of the global fashion industry and the impact that waste colonialism has on local communities and ecosystems.

Orhan Niksic

Through Zanat, Orhan fosters community growth by training young artisans and embraces sustainability and cultural preservation, ensuring each handcrafted piece enriches both living spaces and society.

Orhan is a former World Bank manager, who left Washington to revive his family’s legacy in Konjic, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Together with his brother Adem, Orhan co-founded Zanat, a company that merges centuries-old woodcarving techniques with contemporary design. Their mission is not only to create beautiful, high-quality furniture but also to breathe new life into the UNESCO-listed “Konjic woodcarving” technique.

The foundation of Zanat goes back to their grandfather, Gano Nikšić, who mastered this ancient method of hand-carving. Today, Orhan’s leadership continues the tradition, expanding the business into a global luxury furniture brand that collaborates with internationally acclaimed designers such as Monica Förster, Harri Koskinen etc., blending modern aesthetics with traditional craftsmanship.

Henriette Waal

As a curator of Mediamatic’s Bio-Me program, Waal developed a cross-disciplinary platform exploring brewing practices and design with micro-organisms, focusing on yeasts, fermentation, bacterial cultures, and beer brewing.

Henriette Waal holds a Bachelor’s degree from the Design Academy Eindhoven’s Man and Public Space Department and a Master’s degree in Interior Architecture from the Sandberg Institute in Amsterdam. She was a finalist for the Dutch Design Awards for her research on rural areas in the Netherlands and received the International Award for Public Art for her innovative placemaking approach.

Alongside founding several socially engaged art and design projects, she has been teaching since 2013 in the Social Design Master Program at the Design Academy Eindhoven and the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague. She currently serves as the Artistic and Research Director of Atelier LUMA in Arles.

PIAO CHAIR

The PIAO CHAIR is made from multiple layers of fibrous paper, laminated together by hand to create a lightweight yet remarkably strong structure. The edges of the paper are left raw and uneven, highlighting the material’s natural origins and the craftsmanship involved in the chair’s production.

The chair’s form evokes the silhouette of Ming-dynasty horseshoe chairs—an iconic element of Chinese furniture history. The choice of material is inspired by the traditional paper umbrella-making techniques of the Yuhang District in Hangzhou, where PINWU Design Studio is located.