When the images of elegant pieces of furniture made by Bucharest, Romania-based manufacturer Spalli landed in our inbox, we were knocked out by the sophistication of each piece. It’s no surprise the founders, Teodor Mainescu and Catalin Neagu, declare, “We have a beautiful obsession for quality in every detail, every day. Every morning our craftsmen and women offer their hands and their art to make each Spalli product unique in its originality and complexity.”
As if the aesthetics were not reason enough to feature them, their commitment to sustainability is seriously considered. “We look at our sustainability commitment like the North Star; we will never actually reach it, but the North Star is always reminding us in what direction we should be going,” the company says. “Our commitment as a brand is to deliver the highest quality products and experiences for our customers; while continuously learning, exploring, and innovating. With every decision we make, we will always choose the most responsible path.”
Their socially responsible stance includes protecting the environment, confronting inequality, and integrating sustainability into their business plan. These efforts include 100% sustainable forestry, 0% VOC, ISO 14001 certification, and a fair wage commitment. The founders of the company left the technology and finance industries to plunge into their idea to produce the highest quality designer furniture. They began in Italy but hit a few snags. Here is how they explain it:
“Italy, or more specifically the Brianza region, is where we started our journey. Our first designers, our first collection, our engineers, and the manufacturing were located in Brianza. But our entire first collection never saw the light of day because it couldn’t deliver on our vision. Brianza is renowned for its furniture industry; for generations of craftsmen; and for the skills and the allure of Italian design. But we could not satisfy our relentless commitment to sustainability there. We persevered until we found the right partners in renowned design studios from all over the world; in craftsman from Italy, Japan, and Nordic countries; and in sustainability organizations.”
We are certainly glad they did persevere as their products are so beautiful, which you can see in the images that illustrate this post. Their storied list of designers is featured on this page of their website. We’ve noted the designers of each of the products we’re highlighting here in the captions. We salute the visionaries behind this brand.