Chairs to the future
For Innate Furniture founders Guido Loeffler and Nick Lee, making high-quality, enduring products starts with using what Aotearoa already has in abundance.
Based in Christchurch, Innate Furniture was born from the belief that New Zealand has everything it needs to design and create world-class furniture from its own resources – and that doing so supports both people and the planet.
Grounded in Nick’s Ngāi Tahu roots, Guido and Nick guide the business by the principles of kaitiakitanga.
“Caring for our land is at the core of our decision-making. This is not just about where materials are sourced, but also how they’re processed and transported, and what can be done with them at the end of their lives.”
Timber is a key part of their furniture designs, and the pair have built strong relationships with sawmills and raw material suppliers. A favourite timber to work with is sustainably sourced Northland tōtara, a timber that is good for New Zealand’s future, Guido says.
“Its stability and warm tones make it ideal for a range of applications, and it’s a resource that grows in abundance on marginal farmland and can be managed responsibly for future generations – supporting landowners who directly benefit from this additional income stream.”
Alongside tōtara, West Coast beech is harvested under continuous-cover forestry practices. They also recycle wood to give it another life, such as rimu reclaimed from Christchurch quake demolitions.
For upholstery, they use New Zealand wool fabrics woven locally – renewable, biodegradable, and naturally resilient. Wool padding and fill are used in upholstered items, including a unique wool-filled bean bag range. New Zealand-sourced leather is processed responsibly, and timber is finished with natural oils and waxes, and Innate is working with AgResearch to develop a natural coating system.
With commercial contracts and pieces available for anyone to buy, Guido says the vision is bigger than dining tables and chairs. “It’s treating the land with respect so raw materials can be used across a range of products and made more accessible.”
Looking ahead, Innate is blending craft with innovation, developing an AI-driven e-commerce platform that will let customers customise products in 3D before they’re made to order – bringing the best of local design and modern technology together.