Woven Matter

With Woven Matter, created together with designer Urd Moll Gundermann for Linie Design, we explore how woven surfaces can hold not only function, but also feeling– how rhythm, structure, and tactility can form a quiet architecture underfoot. Inspired by the measured strength of Japanese building traditions and the soft minimalism of Nordic craft, the collection translates these principles into a series of geometric compositions that are both understated and profound.

Each rug is conceived as a landscape of fibres, where wool, linen, and jute are brought together for their innate character – their weight, softness, and subtle irregularities. Rather than being decorative, these materials are treated as essential elements of spatial experience, grounding the body and the mind in the present moment. The intention has been to create designs that are not only seen, but sensed; not only placed within a room, but shaping the very atmosphere of it.

In our work, we believe that true design lives in the balance between simplicity and depth — between what is immediately perceivable and what quietly reveals itself over time. Woven Matter embodies this philosophy: rugs that become part of the architecture of a space, adding warmth, rhythm, and calm through the persistence of craft and the poetry of material.

The Woven Matter collection was first unveiled during 3daysofdesign 2025 as part of the joint exhibition ‘Echoes of Texture’, created in collaboration between Norm Architects, Linie Design, and Karimoku Case. Curated by stylist Pernille Vest, the exhibition explored the sensory and aesthetic qualities of materials through a harmonious dialogue between Japanese minimalism and Nordic craftsmanship.

Handwoven rugs from the new collection were displayed vertically within bespoke oak frames crafted by Karimoku Case. Inspired by the gateways of Japanese Shinto temples, these sculptural structures offered more than a setting for the textiles — they created a spatial rhythm, allowing each rug to be experienced as a tactile work of art. The softness of woven surfaces met the clarity of timber construction, establishing a balance of contrasts that anchored the rugs within a wider architectural context.

Alongside Karimoku Case’s selected furniture and the thoughtful curation of art and objects, ‘Echoes of Texture’ became a shared reflection on craft, care, and timeless design. It was an exhibition less about showcasing individual pieces and more about creating an atmosphere — one where materials could speak, textures could resonate, and the dialogue between cultures could unfold quietly and profoundly.

FADED NOREN

In the quiet alleys of Kyoto, noren curtains sway – worn by time, stitched by hand, and dyed with earth. They signal welcome, frame thresholds, and offer a soft invitation to step inside. Faded Noren draws from their understated presence: the central divide, the muted tones, the linen-like texture faded by sun and season. Each piece becomes a horizontal doorway – grounding a space while echoing the memory of movement and transition. Faded Noren is an ode to impermanence, where every thread whispers of gentle passage and quiet change. Loom knotted with precision using age- old techniques, the rug blends Argentine and New Zealand wool into a richly textured, enduring piece.

WOVEN TATAMI

Inspired by the peaceful order of traditional Japanese tatami, Woven Tatami translates architectural rhythm into soft, tactile wool. Each rug is a study in repetition – lines, grids, and planes composed with meditative precision. Structured yet serene, the design follows a quiet logic, echoing the way tatami frames and divides space with gentle discipline. The texture of wool lends warmth to this order, grounding form in feeling. Woven Tatami is where structure meets softness – a woven reflection on balance, proportion, and the poetry of restraint. Crafted using ancient techniques, the rug’s soft, durable New Zealand wool creates a textured surface that feels both inviting and enduring.

DRIFT LINE

Inspired by Japanese architecture and abstract form, Drift Line is a collection of hand-knotted rugs that explore the subtle power of line and proportion. Each surface is drawn like a landscape of horizons, walls, and thresholds rendered in wool. Lines define not only boundaries, but also balance and belonging. The absence of ornament becomes a presence in itself, allowing form and space to breathe. Natural tones of earth, sand and soft light ground the compositions in a sense of calm. From deliberate asymmetry, a refined visual rhythm emerges. Handcrafted using traditional techniques, the rug is made from hand-carded wool, celebrated for its softness and unique character.

STILL HORIZON

Rooted in the quietude of Japanese minimalism and the expressive depth of abstract art, Still Horizon is a collection of hand-knotted meditations in wool. Inspired by wabi-sabi imperfection and the serenity of empty space, each rug becomes a canvas where texture unfolds like brushstrokes – subtle, deliberate, and raw. Shapes are suspended in stillness, fragments that echo the rhythms of nature as if traced by wind or water. Earthy tones anchor the compositions, inviting calm and reflection. Knotting becomes a silent ritual – slow, intentional, resistant to haste. Meticulously knotted by hand using ancient techniques, the rug is made from a luxurious blend of hand-carded wool and linen.

SOFT OUTLINE

Paying Homage to the traditional fabric borders that frame Japanese tatami mats, Soft Outline explores the beauty of contrast and quiet structure. Each rug is defined by a distinct edge – a deliberate outline that reflects the architectural clarity of Japanese interiors, where transitions in material are treated with precision. Woven in neutral tones, from soft beige to granite and warm stone, the collection is anchored by bold fringes or clean hems – not only as a functional detail, but as a graphic gesture that defines space. Handcrafted from pure New Zealand wool, the rug’s durable softness and natural warmth will enrich its surroundings for years to come.

TIDAL WAVES

Inspired by traditional Japanese wave illustrations, Tidal Lines distils motion into threads, tension, and tactility. It captures not the wave’s crash, but the quiet moment just after. Lines ripple gently across the surface, like wind on water. Each mark is restrained and deliberate – controlled, yet never rigid. The natural palette evokes sand, stone, and seafoam, grounding the composition in earthy calm. This is a minimalist reflection on movement, memory, and the sea – as if water left its trace not on paper, but in wool. Made by skilled hands from soft New Zealand wool, this rug brings enduring warmth and ambiance to any room in the home.