Expormim Interiors
Truly a standout among CLIMA Home’s roster of fine international furnishing brands, Spanish furniture company Expormim’s expansive indoor collection includes beautifully designed chairs, tables, loungers, sofas, dining furniture, and much more. When Miguel Laso Tortosa founded “La Exportadora del Mimbre” in Moixent (Valencia), Spain, in 1960, he sought to become the go-to international exporter of artisanal wicker products such as baskets, folding screens, cradles, and trays. Expormim’s portfolio has expanded dramatically since that time, but the founder’s entrepreneurial spirit, cultural values, and utmost respect for quality craftsmanship live on through Tortosa’s grandchildren, who are currently at the company’s helm. The introduction of rattan into modern-day furniture making – combined with the brand’s partnerships with renowned architects and designers – is responsible for the skyrocketing success of Expormim’s collections.
Expormim continues to thrive in the market thanks to its ongoing commitment to improved manufacturing processes, selection of raw materials, and environmental sustainability. Perpetually at the forefront of luxury indoor and outdoor furniture, Expormim develops its collections in response to current trends and the tastes of its customers. Still, the company sticks to its roots by combining tradition and innovation to deliver beautifully handcrafted products that fit into contemporary spaces without losing so much as a hint of authenticity.
History
The region of La Costera, home to the town of Moixent (where Expormim is located) has a 100+ year-old tradition of superior craftsmanship using materials such as wicker, esparto, and cane. A lawyer by trade, Miguel Laso Tortosa founded Expormim in 1960 after traveling throughout Europe and realizing the absence of artisan products made from natural materials. He also recognized the need for the modernization and industrialization of his home region’s agricultural-based economy. In 1964, his son, Miguel Laso Llopis, left his post as a telecommunications engineer in Germany to join his father’s business.
The late 1960s to early ’70s marked a golden age of tourism in Spain. Expormim began creating furniture made from cane – the demand for which seemingly grew overnight. However, in the 1980s, due to a shortage of cane and wicker in Spain, the company looked to Indonesia – home to the world’s largest and finest rattan plantations. Over the next four decades, the brand managed to reinvent itself numerous times but has always remained true to its unwavering dedication to artisan products and its high standards of quality and comfort.
In 2020, Expormim celebrated its 60th anniversary, highlighting its appreciation for its master craftsmen whose “unique knowledge of traditional techniques, respect for materials, passion for a job passed from father to son, and expertise after so many years working in the factory have made of them our most valuable asset – one that makes the company very proud.”
Materials
Due to changing international export laws and materials available, Expormim has adapted and evolved in the materials it utilizes. Rattan, which was once deemed passé, has made a huge comeback in recent years, once again becoming a major part of Expormim’s genetic makeup. The material is rich in shades, durable, and flexible; it is capable of complex and rounded designs other materials are not. Additional materials Expormim uses include aluminum, stainless steel, Dekton, braided polyester and polypropylene rope, Batyline, Sunbrella Sling, and many others. In 2020, Expormim obtained the PEFC and FSC chain of custody certificates, verifying that the wood it uses originates from sustainably managed and certified forests.
Designers
In addition to the in-house designers of Studio Expormim, Expormim’s indoor collection’s designers include:
- MUT Design Studio, founded in 2010 by innovative young designers Alberto Sánchez and Eduardo Villalón (Armadillo and Nautica)
- Manel Molina (Atrivm and Bistro) and his former design studio Lievore Altherr Molina (Falcata and Grada)
- Mario Ruiz, one of Barcelona’s leading industrial designers (Huma, Motai, Kiri, and Team)
- Copenhagen-based design firm NORM Architects (Cask)
- Madrid-born, Valencia-based designer Jaime Hayon (Frames)
- Barcelona-based Italian architect Benedetta Tagliabue (Tina & Pepe)
- Oscar Tusquets Blanca, one of the founding members of BD Barcelona Design (Fontal)
- Barcelona-born Miguel Milà (Gres) and his son, Gonzalo Milà (Gata).
Projects
Expormim’s indoor furniture collections continue to find homes in some of the world’s most exclusive hotels, resorts, and restaurants, including Atelier Playa Mujeres, Cancun; Hôtel L’Échiquier Opéra Paris; W Hotel Barcelona; Micron Restaurant, Sydney; and Duddell’s Restaurant, London.
“Our attachment to tradition has become our most distinctive feature and one to be very proud of.”
