Malva
INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
2026
Malva emerges as a hybrid between a shelving unit and a display cabinet, providing continuity to the design philosophy that began with the 1927 stool. The project seeks to highlight local roots and artisanal techniques by fostering a dialogue between tradition and modernity. The protagonist is a Spanish organic cotton gauze, cultivated on the banks of the Guadalquivir River and fully hand-sewn, which provides the piece with a unique identity.
THE INTERPLAY OF LIGHT AND FABRIC
Unlike the rigid glass or wood enclosures of conventional cabinets, Malva proposes a soft and permeable alternative. The cotton fabric, which organically defines its own curves and volumes, provides lightness and freedom. It envelops the contents creating a warm, soft skin that transforms the perception of the inside objects based on the light it receives, filtering the transparency with a delicate texture. This visual interplay allows a glimpse of the objects stored inside, while providing a very special material warmth. Uniquely, the cabinet's opacity increases under direct frontal lighting but becomes more translucent under indirect light, revealing the objects within.
A SUSTAINABLE COMMITMENT TO COTTON
The name pays homage to the cotton plant, which belongs to the Malvaceae family. Through a commitment to sustainable sourcing, the project ensures environmental well-being and the health of both producers and consumers. Malva seeks to revalue this natural fiber in the face of the Spanish cotton industry crisis which, much like the wool sector, is in decline due to the rise of synthetic fabrics.
CONSTRUCTIVE SIMPLICITY AND HERITAGE
Maintaining the honesty and constructive simplicity of the 1927 stool, which was created during the 2020 lockdown with domestic tools and limited resources, its structure reinterprets Rietveld's Cartesian joint using a single type of wooden batten, generating an extremely simple and stable construction. The result is a piece of furniture that celebrates local artistry, bridging the gap between historical heritage and a contemporary vision.
