Gärsnäs AB

Gärsnäs is a young company. It’s impossible to get stuck in your ways if you are constantly searching for the best possible form and function. That approach has kept us young since 1893. Gärsnäs has been making quality furniture since 1893, always with a primary focus on function and form. Today about 50 people work in our furniture-making workshop in Österlen in south-east Sweden. They are all inspired by a culture in which the details combine to create the whole. At Gärsnäs, we believe that what we do is important and that we play a significant role in society. Furniture should be durable, beautiful, and make people feel good. It should encourage a sense of happiness. We sit all our lives – when we work, attend meetings, eat meals. So when we sit down, it should feel good. Gärsnäs makes much more than just chairs and sofas, but our history is very much linked to our seating solutions. At Gärsnäs we believe in the importance of encounters. In our workshop there is a continual transmission of knowledge between generations of cabinet makers. These ancient methods and traditions have been passed down for centuries. What’s the best way to bend various types of wood? What are their differing characteristics? How can we give a table a really beautiful corner? How can we make the joints between materials invisible — or surprising? This knowledge is second nature to the people who work for Gärsnäs, and it is our most important resource. If we don’t pass it on, there is a risk it will be lost, because it exists nowhere else in the whole world. Naturally, we also use the latest computer technology. But that would be worthless without skilled cabinet makers to turn it into solid reality. Our work is a combination of age-old handcraft and modern industrial production. Gärsnäs has the capacity for large orders thanks to our efficient factory premises measuring 10,000 square metres. Part of our culture as a company is the desire to experiment and to rejuvenate tradition. We do this by a process of cross-fertilisation. We bring in new designers who work in conjunction with our more experienced design team. We often take a furniture tradition and give it a modern twist. This rejuvenation might be found in a detail or a small change of nuance. As a result, we often present the history of a piece of furniture in a new way. As a company, Gärsnäs is led by its owners. We believe this approach leads to greater passion and long-range planning. We can also act quickly and base our decisions on our own values. For instance, we are able to make investments that might not be profitable immediately. After we’ve done our job, our furniture is then ready for its most important encounter: with its new owners. It’s ready to give them support, comfort and pleasure in their daily life. That encounter is a long one. Often, it’s life long.