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Press Release

Mass Series Sumi Limited Furniture

A' Design Award 2023 Gold Winner in Furniture Design

20 April 2023

Mass Series Sumi Limited Furniture by Canuch Inc.
Mass Series Sumi Limited Furniture by Canuch Inc.
Mass Series Sumi Limited Furniture by Canuch Inc.
Mass Series Sumi Limited Furniture by Canuch Inc.
Mass Series Sumi Limited Furniture by Canuch Inc.

Canuch Inc. · CLIENT: Fil Studios

Mass Series Sumi Limited is a furniture collection that includes a dining chair, a lounge chair, a coffee table, two stools and a coat hanger. Each piece combines a steel frame with generously planed cedar taken from old trees. The cedar is charred by a traditional method that improves durability and brings out defined grains, creating a glossy black surface with a rare texture. The dark finish refers to Noyaki, the grassland burning of the Aso area, where people and nature live together. The series is limited to 25 units per year.

Press Kit

Unique Properties
The series uses steel frame and generously planed-down cedar. What makes this series so special and profound is that the best part of old cedar trees is used and prepared by skilled woodcraft men. Clean-cut design with smoothly planed cedar and elegantly prepared steel frame urges you to touch and feel it.
Dimensions & Packaging
Dining chair W590mm x D670mm x SH420mm x AH610mm
Lounge chair W605mm x D680mm x SH365mm x AH510mm
900 Coffee table W900mm x D900mm x H450mm
Handle stool W380mm x H450mm
4Leg stool W380mm x D380mm x H450mm
Coat Hanger W450mm x D450mm x H1600mm
Tags
Furniture, Kumamoto, FIL, FIL STUDIOS, MASS Series
Production Technology
Unique texture created by charred cedar
It is a traditional method to charred cedar to make durable furniture. The process involves skills and experience to bring out cedar defined grains just right. This is what produces the unique texture and rare finish to the furniture.
Design Challenge
Charred inky black represents the culture
Cedar is charred to gain glossiness and organic feature with defined grains. Charred colour reminds us of noyaki. It represents Aso history and beauty of harmonic lifestyle with nature.

Unique texture created by charred cedar
It is a traditional method to charred cedar to make durable furniture. The process involves skills and experience to bring out cedar defined grains just right. This is what produces the unique texture and rare finish to the furniture.
Project Duration
The project started in April 2019 in Kumamoto and finished in July 2020 in Tokyo Japan, and was exhibited in Designart Tokyo in 2020.
Operation Flow
Sumi limited is designed to express the unique Aso experience, where people and nature co-exist and press on together in a majestic yet harsh volcanic environment, along with the seeds of life sprouting from the inky black world of Noyaki. This series is limited to 25 units sold annually. The number is based on the 25 Oguni cedar saplings which were granted in the Edo period to grow forests.
Research
Brand is based in Minami-Oguni, Kumamoto prefecture. Minami-Oguni is a town located to the north of Aso caldera which has an active volcano to this day. Aso caldera is internationally famous and about 50,000 people call it home. Rather than just making products, Brand came about with an ambition to protect and preserve the landscape and natural resources that communities cherished and harness it for future generations.
Inspiration
Sumi limited is designed to express the unique Aso experience, where people and nature coexist and press on together in a majestic yet harsh volcanic environment, along with the seeds of life sprouting from the inky black world of Noyaki.
Image Credits
Main Image #1 Photographer:Kenichi Aikawa
Optional Image #1 Photographer:Kenichi Aikawa
Optional Image #2 Photographer:Kenichi Aikawa
Optional Image #3 Photographer:Kenichi Aikawa
Movie : Haruki Anami
Optional Image #4 Photographer:Kenichi Aikawa
Patents
Copyrights belong to FIL, 2022.

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