OUT OF THE WOODS

“I am so proud of our craftsmen and all the kind people who collaborate and work with us. I love the special way we work together and how we learn from each other, improving step by step the tiny details that make every design unique. I know who carefully craft every single piece and I hope that this human story transcends to the end customers. ”

- Patricia Peinador

What is the vision behind FORESTA? What made you gravitate towards furniture design as a medium for creative expression?

P: FORESTA was born when two friends came together over a shared vision and passion. The story of the brand began almost three years ago in the forests of Honduras - the small Caribbean country where our products are slowly grown and produced from woods sourced fairly from surrounding tropical plantations that were created on deforested lands and maintained naturally by local communities for decades. Our vision is to help keep traditional methods of harvesting and craft alive by supporting the environmentally conscious community of foresters and artisans we work with.

Our first collection was born from a desire to highlight the inherent beauty of this organic hardwoods. Mid-way through 2019, we began working with designer Rebecca Goddard to create a small series of designs for the home - each thoughtfully considered and guided by a keen sensitivity to the wood’s distinctive characteristics and slow craft. What originally started as a one-off explorative project to show our beautiful woods in a creative and functional way, quickly evolved into our first collection and the beginning of FORESTA as a design brand, a unique European- Caribbean blend of products focused on underscoring the dynamic attributes of wood - sculptural, architectural, and wonderfully made by nature.

FORESTA upholds the concept of sustainable furniture production. What was the inspiration or turning point that lead you in this direction?

P: I have always possessed a love for nature, which I weave into the creative foundation of the brand with a slow and considered sensitivity. In a world filled with industrial production trends and stressful working environments, FORESTA supports a more conscious way of producing. We made designs with a story to share, with a soul, from honest materials and in a way that cares for the environment and the people who craft them. I am truly grateful to be able to invest in the kinds of production methods and materials we hope to see more in the future.

What are some of the challenges you faced when pursuing a sustainable approach?

P: We take sustainability and ethical production just as serious as design. When it is a topic you are really passionate about, this mode of operation becomes a natural and easy approach. The real challenges for FORESTA comes for producing from one of the poorest countries in the world. The daily struggle in Honduras is more real that many of us can even imagine, especially in light of the recent global crisis. Last year, the country has also been deeply impacted by hurricanes, causing serious flooding even in our very own plantations. We have had to push past lot of obstructions and many things were out of our control, but we are navigating it staying optimistic and in the best way possible — mindfully and with care for the people we work with.

Tez Lounge Table

How would you describe your process when working on a new project? Who or what inspires you?

P: We are deeply rooted in our love for natural materials. This solid wood and its natural beauty have always been our main source of inspiration, the fundamental focus of each design when creating our collection, and it continues to inspire us to evolve our concept.

FORESTA fuses together Scandinavian design principles - rooted in the aesthetic values of minimalism, simplicity, and timelessness as a form of sustainability - with both the Caribbean artistry and organic materials. Our idea is to simply refine what nature made so wonderfully and every decision is made with the intention of keeping FORESTA keenly sensitive to the land that supplies our timbers and the people who manufacture our designs.

Our actual collection consists of six unique designs and includes accent tables, stools and functional objects. We have paid attention to the intention of each product to be sure that we made a collection in which each piece supported the other aesthetically. We know that these designs will work well for many years and will be lived, passed down and loved through generations. To express a vision through a compelling image, it is our primary goal. As I like to stress, 3d it is just a tool we choose to operate.

From design to production, how long does it normally take to launch a product?

P: I would be dishonest to forgot admitting that it is a laborious activity that requires inspiration, calm, brainstorming, sketching, design refinement, market study, material selection, and a close-up work with our artisans to carefully craft some prototypes to achieve the required quality before starting manufacturing. As an ethical and environmentally conscious brand, we lean into a kinder, and more caring way of bringing designs into the market. The first launching (Arco Candle Holder and Aldea Tray) takes a successful period of ten months since the first ideas were drawn, but each piece of this collection has a different period.

Can you tell us more about your recent release, the Copán Side Table? What was the idea and inspiration behind this piece?

P: Designed to be beautifully timeless and functional, Copán is a small but flexible piece that can be used all around the home – near the bed, by your favourite lounge chair, in the corner of your living room with a vase and a stack of books, wherever you imagine. The idea behind Rebecca Goddard’s design born from the intention to create a small piece with generous proportioned legs reminiscent of a strong timber beam. The design nod to its natural origin and is named after one of Honduras’s most well-known archaeological sites, home of the very first people who settled those lands centuries ago. I truly love this design, and I think it will endure for many years ahead thanks to its honest materiality, simple detailing, and sculptural aesthetic.

Arco Candle Holder

You work with sustainably managed plantations in Honduras to produce the Copan Side Table. Why Honduras and how do you collaborate with local craftsmen on the basis of fair trade?

P: Honduras is José Ángel’s native country and, the home of our very own organic plantations. When our collection born, we start to work with a small artisan workshop close to our plantations, choosing to source and produce at origin. Our designs are handmade in small batches with a slow approach that respects the pace of the craftsmen and women we work with, challenging industrial production trends and stressful working environments, so that well-being and craft can flourish. We pay our craftsmen and women the same fair price for each item - regardless if they are producing five or fifty pieces - and we cherish a long lasting partnership with them because we believe that commerce is more empowering than charity. By creating new opportunities in this country, we want to contribute to revitalising the forestry industry while preserving traditions, and the cultural heritage of the people we work with.

While working with these craftsmen, were there any unforgettable experiences / memories that you would like to share?

P: I am so proud of our craftsmen and all the kind people who collaborate and work with us. I love the special way we work together and how we learn from each other, improving step by step the tiny details that make every design unique. I know who carefully craft every single piece and I hope that this human story transcends to the end customers.

You tend to work with teak and mahogany. Will you venture out and work with other sustainable materials in the coming future?

P: Nowadays, the designs were only offered in teak. We are testing new pieces and some of our actual designs in our very own organic mahogany, and we are also becoming interested in exploring other unique tropical woods responsible sourcing from the surrounding plantations with a special aesthetic and grain. We carefully evolve our concept, because is not only a question of the material’s aesthetic and quality, it also depends on the way of cultivate and harvest the wood.

One of our biggest news for this new year is that, after first launching our collection in Copenhagen months ago, we are creating a new ephemeral design installation this coming February in collaboration with TÓTEM — a stunning historic hotel in the heart of Madrid. The installation will be focused on hospitality and inspired by a Scandinavian atmosphere with evocative Caribbean vibes. Through the exhibited objects and pieces, we will explore the tension between art and design, providing visitors with a tactile and tangible experience. We are super excited to meet people again and to share our ideas for caring and sustainable ways of producing. (February 22-27 during ARCO, the city’s annual art festival)