AD – This post is a collaboration with Lapuan Kankurit.
These days, I will admit, I’m a bit of a home textiles snob! It’s not about the price band or the name, but the quality of materials used. As we are all becoming more conscious consumers in the home, aware of the impact on the environment of fast fashion and throwaway wares, the lineage of a product becomes a more central part of our design decisions. Without getting up on my worthy box or lecturing, I’m sure we’re now more than aware of the impact our consumerism is having on the planet. So, when a company comes along with home textiles that boast great design credentials, a commitment to sustainability, are built to last and they are a family company with over four generations of experience I’m all ears.
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Let me introduce you to Lapuan Kankurit, a Finnish design house who make heirloom homewares through artisan traditions. I first happened upon them at London Design Festival in 2016 and was really impressed with their designs, featuring them here on the blog in my round up that year. At design week I had loved the pattern work on their knitted textiles, so it’s been a real joy to explore the collection in some more detail and to sample some of their beautiful and well made textiles.
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Lapuan Kankurit are a fourth generation business based in Finland and they have a wonderful passion for their work and a commitment to craftsmanship which is firmly rooted in the natural environment around them.
“Nordic people are known for their authenticity, and Lapuan Kankurit proudly continues on this path. Our passion is to create beautiful, sustainable products that stand the test of time while communicating our love for nature. Linen and wool keep us warm during colder months and accompany us on trips in nature.”
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We have been embarking on a bit of a bathroom update (don’t worry I’ve not ripped anything out of our three year old suite or repainted!) but as a result of having to have some bad plumbing sorted and some of the tiles that were leaking water into the kitchen replaced I’ve been seeing the space with fresh eyes. I’m a little bored of the bolder choices in here and really wanted to par back the space. I have replaced the apothecary shower curtain we’ve had for 6 years (which needed washing all the time towards the end) with a simple striped design from Ferm Living and replaced the toothbrush cup which matched the cubic design of the floor with a simple earthenware one. This got me thinking about the textiles in the bathroom, I didn’t like how loud they felt and having bought some cheap towels on the high street the quality had started to ware – does anybody else get this with £5 towels, they are fine for a year, past that they start to smell a little, well, off! Even straight after they’ve come out if the machine.
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One of the things I really love about our bathroom is the mix of the homely feel of the vintage elements and the feel of retreat that the deep blue and brass fittings provide. When looking at Lapuan Kankurit’s stunning range of bathroom textiles I had this retreat feel in mind. I chose towels from their TERVA range in Graphite (there are 17 shades to choose from). There is a simple but luxurious feel to these hand spun linen towels with their stitch striped pattern. They blend in really well in the space and add something a little more chic than the bolder patterns I was previously drawn to. They are pretty light weight but they do an excellent job of drying and I love hanging full length from the hooks as there’s something reminiscent of a hammam about them.
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I also chose some sponges from their accessories range, we have been really wanting in the sponge department, I never seem to have one to hand and Dan has one of those perpetually awful balls of plastic mesh. The Meri wash mitten is perfect for him and has removed his previous eyesore from sight. As it’s made of natural fibres it’s far less corrosive and having used the Meri cosmetic sponge for just over a fortnight I’m really impressed with that too.
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Having treated the bathroom to these understated organic loomed pieces, I was also sent a beautiful Ilta linen duvet cover which I chose in the Dim Grey colour way. I love this set, not just the quality, but also the colour. It’s a beautiful Grey with more than a hint of green to it, making it a very sage-y grey which is a lovely colour in our bedroom as it offsets the Ammonite walls beautifully. It’s lovely to come across a relatively small company in the global age who have been making wares for so long with time old traditional processes. This family run business represent so many of the elements of Scandinavian design I’m most attracted to – simple, well made items that are built to last with fantastic design credentials.
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Lapuan Kankurit are a really refreshing brand for me, I love that they still mill small scale in a team of thirty which they describe as the Lapuan Kankurit family, the team meet as a whole over coffee to discuss ideas, every part of the process feels human and relate-able and therefore all the more special.
“We are a family business, and love working with others who share our values…From designers to all skilled professionals in our weaving mill, we are a family. Our roots inspire us to stay true to our vision: to use authentic materials to create beautiful, high-quality products that can be passed down generations.”
A few well chosen pieces with real longevity feel far more in line with the direction of modern consumerism and I know that I will enjoy these heirloom pieces for years to come.
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All Images: Design Soda.
This post is a collaboration with Lapuan Kakurit. I only choose to work with carefully selected brands that I am interested in and think you will be too. As ever, all opinions are honest and my own.
