HANNA KORVELA DESIGN OY
THE AQUA DAMP-PROOF MAT
Design: Hanna Korvela Design 2005–2006
The style and feel of a paper-yarn rug have been provided for damp-proof mat woven from synthetic materials. The right binding and backing methods were found through product development.
Textile designer Hanna Korvela established Hanna Korvela Design in Kuopio, East Finland, in 1994. At the time she created her first Duetto rugs, woven from cotton and paper yarn, which received the German Rote Punkt design prize in 1997. In 2006, Hanna Korvela was chosen as Finland’s Woman Entrepreneur of the Year.
Hanna Korvela Design’s line of products has expanded to include tufted woollen carpets and interior textiles woven from paper yarn. Commissioned liturgical and art textiles have also been one of the areas of work. At present, Hanna Korvela Design has seven employees, five of whom are designers. There are some twenty manufacturers as subcontractors. In 2005, Hanna Korvela Design had a turnover of € 1.3 million.
The company’s ideology is based on classic design. Partly because of the demanding nature of product development, timelessness was adopted as one of the aspects of the firm’s strategy. A classic approach and natural materials also appeal to foreign consumers. In 2005, the company exported products to 13 countries, with exports accounting for 30% of production.
Paper yarn is an ecological material with a pleasantly hard surface. But it is not suited to permanently damp spaces, such as saunas and dressing rooms or balconies and terraces or decks. Hanna Korvela Design began to seek a moisture-resistant product for its range of products.
A solution was found in synthetic materials, a completely new area for the company. A combination of three different plastics provided a surface resistant to wear and moisture. Despite the new raw material, the mat, named Aqua, has a style and feel of material that is familiar from Hanna Korvela’s previous designs and its colours correspond to the company’s other products.
The smooth and glossy material is antibacterial, non-absorbent and, with its modern look, suited to a wide range of spaces. It is also easily cleaned. An additional challenge was to find the right backing and edging techniques for the synthetic material. The mat was to keep its shape and not slip even on a tiled floor. The necessary solutions were found through product development. The prize jury particularly praised efforts in developing a new product and the successful result.
Hanna Korvela Design Oy
Kauppakatu 18, FI-70100 Kuopio
Tel. +358 (0)17 2886 688
Fax +358 (0)17 361 4848
info@hannakorveladesign.fi
www.hannakorveladesign.fi
Hanna Korvela and Heli Leskelä