The Idea Behind Stereo by TAF

The Idea Behind Stereo by TAF

Some textiles make a statement through colour, others through texture. The upholstery fabric Stereo does so through a subtle check pattern, where the structure of the wool and the colours create a graphic rhythm. Designed by TAF and made from 100% wool, Stereo is developed to give furniture presence and an expression that endures over time.

Stereo is the result of a collaboration between Svensson and TAF Studio, with the ambition to create an upholstery fabric that is easy to work with and clear in its expression. A base textile, yet with character. Developed for public environments and for furniture that is meant to be used, worn, and function over a long period of time.

For TAF, led by Gabriella Lenke and Mattias Ståhlbom, working with Stereo also meant entering a new context. The studio has extensive experience in furniture and industrial design, but this was the first time they created an upholstery textile. The process required a new approach to material, taking shape through close dialogue with Svensson’s production team.

– We entered the project in a deliberately quite naïve way, says Gabriella Lenke. By being on site and testing our way forward, we quickly gained respect for the craftsmanship and for how small adjustments can completely change the expression.

The development of Stereo was characterised by an exploratory way of working. By experimenting with contrasts in the warp and different colours in the weft, a check pattern emerged that became the textile’s most distinctive feature. A pattern that shifts with the light and gives the fabric a depth that makes it appear coarser than it actually is.

An important ambition was also to create a textile without a clear direction. Thanks to its structure, the front and back appear almost identical, which simplifies upholstery work and allows for greater freedom of use. The natural properties of wool have been crucial to both the tactile quality and functionality.

– It’s not a soft mohair feel, but something more robust. The character of the wool gives the textile stability and durability, says Mattias Ståhlbom.

The colour palette was developed in parallel with the pattern. The contrasting construction softens the hues, which led to the addition of more and stronger colours to create balance and vitality. The result is twenty colourways with a cohesive expression.

The name Stereo refers both to the collaboration behind the textile and to its spatial quality. An expression perceived as three-dimensional and solid, shaped with simple means.

– We were drawn to how the check could be both strict and lively at the same time. It gave the textile an identity that felt natural to continue developing, says Gabriella Lenke.

Stereo is developed for furniture that is meant to endure, both visually and functionally. An upholstery fabric with a clear structure and presence, shaped to function in everyday life and in the many different spaces where people meet.