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The Future Of Furniture Design

The Future Of Furniture Design

A table and chairs by Niso, a furniture designer and manufacturer based in Tel Aviv, Israel.
The collaboration between Kornit Digital and Niso is the future of furniture design.
The collaboration between Kornit Digital and Niso is the future of furniture design. Photo Courtesy of Niso

The future of textile and furniture design was seen at Heimtextil, the world’s leading textile trade fair.

At the Heimtextil trade show, which takes place every January at Messe Frankfurt in Frankfurt, Germany, two collaborating Tel Aviv, Israel-based companies, Kornit Digital and Niso, showcased how they use artificial intelligence and digital printing to produce customized, high-end furniture. These technologies are revolutionizing furniture production and is the future for design in the home décor space, in addition to many other industries.

As seen by the collaboration between Kornit and Niso, this new technology is revolutionizing furniture design enabling efficient manufacturing, greater flexibility and sustainability in production methods.(Previous Heimtextil coverage can be seen here)

Kornit Digital offers on-demand direct-to-fabric digital printing that applies designs to all sorts of fabrics including synthetics, blends and naturals, such as leather. Kornit’s printers produce 3D premium effects with XDi technology on fabrics. This cutting-edge technology enables it to print for the fashion, apparel and home décor industries. Its custom printing is sustainable as the inks Kornit uses are pigment-based and ecological and are GOTS, ECO Passport and Bluesign certified.

Niso’s Sharoni coffee table is wrapped in leather printed by Kornit Digital.
Niso’s Sharoni coffee table is wrapped in leather printed by Kornit Digital. Photo courtesy of Niso

“We are able to give our customers a kind of customization that wasn’t ever available before,” says Daniel Horovitz, Kornit’s Director for Design for Home Decor.

Adds Ronen Samuel, chief executive of Kornit Digital: “You really have to touch and feel to understand the kinds of effects we are able to do. We can apply things like embroidery. We can do all sorts of other things very uniquely with multiple colors and designs.”

Demand Before Supply

Niso, a high-end furniture manufacturer, founded by Niso Adut in 1974, is a family-owned and operated business. Run by three generations of Adut family members, it is the largest furniture design house in Israel and with Kornit’s digital printing technology and the use of AI, it is able to offer highly customized designs for its customers around the world.

The Macaron table by Niso (seen below) is an example of the company’s technological and artistic capabilities. The leather, which features a design by Niso, was digitally printed by Kornit.

A table and chairs by Niso, a furniture designer and manufacturer based in Tel Aviv, Israel.
The Macaron table and Cube chairs by Niso is an example of the company’s technological and artistic capabilities. The leather, which features a design by Niso called Vasco de Gama, was digitally printed by Kornit. Photo courtesy of Niso

Niso has a virtual-first “demand-before-supply” model, as it produces its furniture only after a customer’s order is placed. This model eliminates the need for inventory as Niso can produce only what is needed, when it is needed, saving money and reducing waste. Remarkably, it is possible for Niso to create bespoke furniture, from initial concept to high-end reality in as little as seven working days.

The process starts with Niso’s in-house team of designers who use advanced software tailored for the furniture industry to design and create each piece of furniture. Next, Kornit digitally prints the fabrics with designs created by Niso. Afterward, Niso’s expert artisans use the fabrics and other materials to handcraft the furniture in the company’s workshop in Tel Aviv.

Niso's design was digitally printed on leather by Kornit Digital
Niso’s design was digitally printed on leather by Kornit Digital

Innovation Knows No Boundaries

As a result of the collaboration with Kornit, Niso is able to offer its customers the ability to choose from a wide array of colors and designs. “Our collaboration with Kornit Digital reflects our shared vision of combining creativity and technology to redefine furniture design,” says Lion Adut, co-owner of Niso. “This is a new era in home decoration, where innovation knows no boundaries.”

To be sure, Niso’s furnishings are luxurious and it is no wonder it has many high-profile clients. It recently designed the furnishings for the President’s Residence in Jerusalem and has also designed furnishings for private jet interiors, luxury office spaces as well as several five star hotels.

The Macaron table by Niso is an example of the company’s technological and artistic capabilities. The leather, which features a design by Niso called Vasco de Gama, was digitally printed by Kornit. Photo courtesy of Niso
The Macaron table by Niso is an example of the company’s technological and artistic capabilities. The leather, which features a design by Niso called Vasco de Gama, was digitally printed by Kornit. Photo courtesy of Niso

Niso’s Macaron table, for example, features a glass top that rests on four legs, each composed of a series of pebbles meticulously wrapped in hand-crafted leather, featuring a unique green Vasco print that showcases the finest of its technological and artistic capabilities. The leather wrapped around the legs of the table, sporting a design created by Niso, is custom-printed by Kornit. Other standout pieces from Niso’s current collection include the swiveling ‘Duba’ armchair and the rounded ‘Tsoof’ sofa, both of which embody the fusion of past and future.

Industrial development used to be one-sided. “Previously, somebody created and manufactured designs and then put them in front of the customer,” says Kornit’s Samuel. “But now, it is about collaboration and interaction. It is something totally new and also impacts the business model with all sorts of capabilities that have never been seen before.”

In this photo, Niso’s Duba swivel armchair is upholstered in a custom-designed Vasco da Gama fabric printed by Kornit Digital. Photo courtesy of Niso
In this photo, Niso’s Duba swivel armchair is upholstered in a custom-designed Vasco da Gama fabric printed by Kornit Digital. Photo courtesy of Niso

At the same time, Kornit’s customers save money. Niso, for example, is able to provide a customizable service for their customers that reduces wasteful production. “We have this philosophy that is the more people utilize our technology, the better it is for everyone, including the environment,” says Samuel. “The more successful we are, the more we are helping the planet.”

The partnership between Niso and Kornit Digital showcases how advanced technology and artisanal craftsmanship can come together to create something extraordinary.

“We’re proud to represent Israeli ingenuity on this global stage and showcase our ability to inspire and lead in design and technology,” says Niso’s Adut.