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Upholstery Production Week 16

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On an even shorter week – 3 1/2 days – with a few holidays thrown in for good measure, the output quantity was low, but the OTIF was still 100%

Although it might seem that this should be easy with such a low output, when we have so many staff furloughed, this is still an excellent performance. The team is being incredibly flexible in how they are working and supporting each other.

As part of this week’s figures we shipped over 300 of our V2.0 Visors for our front line staff who are still having to work and visit sites to keep essential lifts and stairlifts operational.

Safety VisorProducts Shipped – 1038

Number of different product types shipped – 34

OTIF – 100%

Click here to read more about our Commercial Upholstery services

Our 20,000 square foot upholstery factory is designed into manufacturing cells with all our processes built to make our Upholstery Production with an efficient and effective use of resources. This allows our 50-strong shop floor team to produce large quantities of high-quality products in short lead times and deliver on time, every time.

Each cell includes CNC fabric cutting, adhesive spraying for foam, multiple sewing machines and machinists, multiple upholstery benches and quality inspection, packing and despatch benches.

Our team are multi-skilled and experienced so that one day we could be making 1500 identical theatre seats, the next we could make a single banquette seat. Our process is designed to adapt to whatever our customers need from us as we don’t make any of our own products – everything we make is for our business customers that need highly reliable deliveries of a range of products.

Face Visors Away!!!

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The first batch of Face Visors 2.0 for our sister company Stannah Stairlifts Sales and Installations plus Maintenance and Repair and has now been shipped. We originally made a batch of face visors a week ago for Stannah Stairlifts, the manufacturing company for their factory staff, which we posted about here.

We have since made design improvements to the product and 400 more units are being manufactured. Now that we are operational and the process is working, we should be able to produce 200 units per day.

face visors

The Top Stitch #3

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The Top Stitch

The Top Stitch interior design

Your weekly digest of news in the world of Design, Upholstery, Furniture and Interior Design, brought to you by Global Upholstery Solutions.

GLOBAL UPHOLSTERY SOLUTIONS, BLACKSWAN AND PANAZ REMAKE – Design Insider

Global Upholstery Solutions and Panaz have long shared a strong relationship and have collaborated on various projects over the years. They were therefore delighted when Panaz Account Manager, the wonderful June George, visited their team to introduce ReMake, a new piece of design technology developed by Panaz.

WHY THE COFFEE TABLE IS THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF FURNITURE IN YOUR HOUSE – MAD about the HOUSE

I have written before (if not on these pages then in the first book) about how it is not the kitchen that is the heart of the home but the kitchen table. By which I mean that this table, which symbolises where a family comes together to eat, to work, to meet – perchance to row – and, at the very least,  least to talk of many things (but probably not, these days quite so much of cabbages and kings) is the beating heart of the home. It matters not what the table looks like but more that it exists. The kitchen table is where it all comes together and is perhaps, after a mattress and a sofa, the most important piece of furniture you will buy.

Natural Wool Felt Room Dividers From WoOL Amsterdam – Design Milk

Meet WoOL Amsterdam, a Dutch independent label making high-end, sophisticated room dividers that absorb sound and feel so good to the touch. These room dividers are works of art and made from wool felt, a renewable material that fascinated Dutch designer Ingrid Heijne, the founder and art director at WoOL.

Eight egg-shaped buildings from around the world – dezeen

Just in time for Easter, here are eight buildings shaped like eggs, including a golden sauna in Sweden, beach huts in South Korea and a micro home in Slovakia.

THE 50 BEST INTERIOR DESIGNERS – Country & Town House

The C&TH pick of the 50 best interior designers…

This is the only A-Z you’ll ever need, putting the best UK-based creatives at your fingertips, whether you want to commission bespoke cabinetry or an in-home cinema, restore a Roman palazzo or redesign an avant-garde apartment. By Emma Love

More than 60 years on the Eames Chair is still a classic – Icon

A modern take on the nineteenth-century club chair, the Eames Lounge Chair has become a classic.

The Eames lounge chair and its matching ottoman were design by the husband and wife team for the Herman Miller Furniture Company.

For most of their partnership, Charles and Ray Eames dedicated themselves to designing furniture that could be mass produced at affordable prices. They wanted to develop interior design and decor that was accessible to the average American, but didn’t compromise on aesthetic for its price tag. The Eames Lounge Chair was designed as a luxury item, but one that could also be reproduced easily.

How make-shift solutions are reshaping our future – onOffice

The act of making binds together all cultures and all peoples across all time. Making fire, making bread, making tools, making homes – making describes the simple universal acts that have allowed humans to live and thrive across millennia. The word ‘make’ holds a powerful place in our language; make believe, make space, make sense, make progress, make do, make friends, make love.

ACG WARNING ON COVID-19 ONLINE FRAUDSTERS – Anti Copying In Design

The Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG) has joined the Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade (TRACIT), in warning consumers about the risks and growing availability of fake, falsified and substandard medical and healthcare products and medicines. ACG, the UK’s premier anti-counterfeiting trade association, representing over 3,000 international brands, reports a surge in ineffective, fraudulent products that threaten both public health and efforts to stem the COVID-19 pandemic.

Showcase of Gusto – Spacestor

As a San Francisco-based startup that helps small businesses manage their payrolls, benefits and human resources, Gusto is always up to date with the latest trends in work, technology and design. Their gigantic new office in the former Union Iron Works machine shop at Pier 70, in the up-and-coming neighbourhood of Dogpatch, has been designed by architects and interior designers Gensler, with whom we’re very happy to have an ongoing collaborative relationship – and as you can see, it’s absolutely stunning.

Home libraries on trend! – O&A Design

In our digital era, the idea of “real” comes to the fore. People are tired of Instagram filters, idealised images, and e-books. In interior design we can track people’s instinct to seek out the “real” by the growing popularity of highly tactile finishes, natural materials, patterns inspired by nature and the return of real books into our homes. There is something so special and real about the quietness suggested by a wall of books – and of course the smell of old books transports us to another world.

IS ONLINE INTERIOR DESIGN PART OF OUR FUTURE? – Interior Style Hunter

I’ve written about online interior design services before, a few years ago there were a few tech startups that tried to get into the online design market but seemed to have changed tactics. One of them started as an affordable service for homeowners but I see has now pivoted their service and targeting landlords, Airbnb and property developers.

Personally, I think that online design is only just starting, it’s just that the current offerings don’t really work for the audience. These services are currently very cheap – under £200 a room and in some cases, just £75 for a room design. While I do understand that there are some very talented interior designers working for these companies, but at these rates they don’t have enough time to connect with a client, understand and interpret a brief and set about designing and sourcing.

Dyson creates engineering challenges for kids in lockdown – Design Week

Designers working with the James Dyson Foundation have devised a series of science and engineering tasks they say can help keep kids entertained during lockdown.

The initiative, which is made up of 44 Challenge Cards, aims to provide young people with ample stimulation as families adjust to spending more time at home because of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent shut down of schools.

Upholstery Production Week 15

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A great performance in the short week last week, including 73 Face Visors delivered for our Stairlifts factories.  Obviously with so many of our team on furlough and with the short week, we’re pleased at our performance last week which was actually higher in products than the full week before.

upholstery production

Products Shipped – 1287

Number of different product types shipped – 53

OTIF – 100%

Click here to read more about our Commercial Upholstery services

Our 20,000 square foot upholstery factory is designed into manufacturing cells with all our processes built to make our Upholstery Production with an efficient and effective use of resources. This allows our 50-strong shop floor team to produce large quantities of high-quality products in short lead times and deliver on time, every time.

Each cell includes CNC fabric cutting, adhesive spraying for foam, multiple sewing machines and machinists, multiple upholstery benches and quality inspection, packing and despatch benches.

Our team are multi-skilled and experienced so that one day we could be making 1500 identical theatre seats, the next we could make a single banquette seat. Our process is designed to adapt to whatever our customers need from us as we don’t make any of our own products – everything we make is for our business customers that need highly reliable deliveries of a range of products.

The Top Stitch #2

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The Top Stitch

The Top Stitch interior design

Your weekly digest of news in the world of Design, Upholstery, Furniture and Interior Design, brought to you by Global Upholstery Solutions.

TDFKA The Thread – Global Upholstery

Remember when Prince changed his name to a symbol and was then The Artist Formally Known As Prince – TAFKA Prince. Well we now have a new name for our digest, which will not be called The Digest Formally Known As The Thread, (TDFKA The Thread) except for in this post.

The original idea for this digest came from a similar post by Bleeding Green Nation – called The Linc. A sports digest specifically for fans of The Philadelphia Eagles. We liked the idea and so wnert about creating a similar idea for our industry. It isn’t the first and won’t be the last, but we liked the idea and thought others would too. But, what to call it?

In Design: GC18, David Knowles – Furniture News

During a visit to Northern Ireland, David Knowles encountered the Giant’s Causeway, a volcanic landscape in which interlocking hexagonal columns of black basalt rise dramatically from the ocean. Inspired by this natural feature, David created GC18, a bespoke coffee table that fuses sculptural elements with functional design.

“Four hundred cast Jesmonite hexagons represent the causeway’s 40,000 basalt columns, replicating their aesthetic qualities and majestic flowing forms,” says David. “A regulated pattern with equal spacing emphasises the individual character of each hexagon, yet combines them into a single entity with defined multifaceted levels. Supported by a minimalist blackened steel frame, the outer hexagons overhang, adding depth and intrigue.

UK hotels to become shelters for homeless people during COVID-19 outbreak – Hotel Design

UK hotels to become shelters for homeless people during COVID-19 outbreak

Hotels will be transformed into emergency safe spaces, outlines a new national action plan to fight the Coronavirus COVID–19 pandemic…

In a new action plan drawn up by government outlines that hotels will be converted into temporary safe spaces after the government was accused of “sleepwalking” on homeless people’s vulnerability to Covid-19, reports The Guardian.

The strategy to safeguard the homeless is expected to be announced imminently following the lead of California in allowing vacant hotels to be requisitioned into homes for rough sleepers and those vulnerable to the virus.

The Circular Design Guide

The next big thing in design is circular.

A RADICAL, RESTORATIVE, REGENERATIVE APPROACH TO BUSINESS

A new mind-set for business is emerging. It’s worth around a trillion dollars, will drive innovation in tomorrow’s companies, and reshape every part of our lives.

But making the shift isn’t easy. That’s why we created this guide: to help innovators create more elegant, effective, creative solutions for the circular economy. Solutions that are invaluable for people, give businesses a competitive advantage, and are regenerative for our world.

CAMIRA LAUNCH RECYCLED PLASTIC FABRIC – Design Insider

In a pledge to clean both the earth and the ocean, Oceanic is a fabric born of the SEAQUAL Initiative to achieve a waste free environment. Woven from plastic debris found floating in our seas and post-consumer plastic bottles, destined for landfill, it’s one small drop in the mission to clean both the earth and its ocean. A recycled polyester with a purpose, Oceanic is a strikingly contemporary fabric with an intricate twill weave.

Virtual Design Festival – Dezeen

The Design Museum, Dutch Design Week, Design Indaba, Ventura Projects and The World Around are among cultural partners who will be contributing to Virtual Design Festival, which launches on 15 April.

Creative partners include designer Ron Arad, artist Lucy McRae, musicians Beatie Wolfe and Rosey Chan, and trend forecaster Li Edelkoort, who will be creating content for the festival.

Other partners include Lisbon’s MAAT museum, Serpentine Galleries, What Design Can Do, London Festival of Architecture, Forward Festival, The Artling, Vienna Design Week, Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair and Stockholm Design Week, San Francisco Design Week, Sight Unseen, Pecha Kucha and architecture photography festival Zoomed In.

The Best Paint Colors for 2020, According to Interior Designers – Good Housekeeping

One of the easiest ways to update your home is by swiping on a fresh coat of paint. No matter which room you’re in — the bedroom, kitchen, or bath — adding a new color to your walls or furniture is a cheap and commitment-free way to make an eye-catching change. And because paint is totally reversible, it’s also one of the best ways to incorporate some of the latest interior design trends into your home every few years.

If you’re ready to make a major change this year, look no further than the top paint colors of 2020, which run the gamut from bubbly blush to earthy clay. To find these paint ideas, we asked interior designers which colors they expected to see in abundance in the new year. Whether your style is modern or traditional, minimalist or extravagant, there’s a 2020 paint color for you. And if you need even more low-cost ways to revamp your space, try one of these DIY home decor projects.

Design Trends – Upcycling, Recycling and Reclaimed Furniture – House Shop

At one time, the idea of second-hand furniture was that it was great if you were into antiques or you couldn’t afford something new.  But more recently, a number of factors have led to a growing trend in design – upcycling, recycling and the use of reclaimed furniture.  But what’s the trend about and how can you find products for your home within it?

Upcycling versus recycling

At their heart, recycling and upcycling are very similar – the reuse of something either for the same or a different purpose.  Upcycling is often called ‘creative reuse’ because there’s a greater emphasis on using something in new and interesting ways.  It also looks to fix up something that might be broken or damaged so that it can be useful again while still retaining the original character of the item – not trying to make it brand new and perfect once more.

Podcast – Ep. 111: Clever Extra – Creativity & Community in a Time of Crisis – Design Milk

These are strange and difficult times. People are feeling anxious, isolated, and frightened. Clever reached out to friends and familiar voices you know and love from previous Clever episodes to bring you messages of solidarity, hope, and coping strategies.

Video : Collaboration  and Focus, by Mark Barrell – Boss Design

Talking about the issues of the modern workspace and how they influence product design and development at Boss.

Bespoke Fabric Design Made Easy – blackswan

Global Upholstery Solutions and Panaz have long shared a strong relationship and have collaborated on various projects over the years. We were therefore delighted when our Account Manager, the wonderful June George, visited us to introduce ReMake, a new piece of design technology developed by Panaz. This progression in technology is extremely exciting for designers, generating endless possibilities for us and resolving design dilemmas that may arise on projects and the exact reason why we created blackswan. Panaz describes ReMake as a ‘turning point in bespoke fabric design. By putting the ability to recolour and rework any Panaz print design directly into your hands’

Digital Design Calendar – Design Museum

What to expect

There is no reason why self-isolating should mean missing out on the many inspirations design can offer and how it can make a difference in our lives.

Brush up on your design history, virtually visit the studios of leading designers and join learning sessions for all ages.

‘During this crisis we want to share with our audiences a time of experimentation, reflection and understanding and hopefully to find some solace in the optimism of design.’
Josephine Chanter, Director of Audiences

TDFKA The Thread

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Remember when Prince changed his name to a symbol and was then The Artist Formally Known As Prince – TAFKA Prince. Well we now have a new name for our digest, which will not be called The Digest Formally Known As The Thread, (TDFKA The Thread) except for in this post.

The original idea for this digest came from a similar post by Bleeding Green Nation – called The Linc. A sports digest specifically for fans of The Philadelphia Eagles. We liked the idea and so wnert about creating a similar idea for our industry. It isn’t the first and won’t be the last, but we liked the idea and thought others would too. But, what to call it?

We came up with the name The Thread during a brainstorm, liked it and went with it.

Then, just before we released the second one, we happened to be looking for something in our email chain from Panaz and came across their digest – Threads. Whether sub-consciously or coincidentally, we had come up with the same name for roughly the same thing. We like to think it was a case of ‘great minds thinking alike’ but Panaz got there first, so we’ll change ours.

Having come up with the original name it was hard to find a new one that measured up – but we’ve finally found something that was relevant and we were happy with.

The Top Stitch.

We hope you enjoyed the first episode of TDFKA The Thread and we hope you enjoy the second episode of The Top Stitch!