There's nothing I enjoy more than learning about technical processes, so it was really exciting in March this year to have a wonderful opportunity to visit a tray manufacturer in Sweden to put some of my designs onto trays.
The trays are constructed from multiple sheets of laminated birch wood sourced from sustainable forests - with a melamine coating as the top laminate they are very strong and have an exceptionally high quality of finish.
Prior to manufacture, every sheet of birch wood is checked for quality. The sheets are then laminated and pressed using wooden and metal embossing presses and moulded into the many and variable tray shapes and sizes. It's still very much a hands on process using traditional craftsmanship and the trays are manufactured in very much the same way as they were 60 years or so ago, although much of the printing of the surface design is now processed digitally and not lithographically.
My tray designs which include Rosetta Glory (top), Geotaxis, Spiral, Cork and Dahlia & Chrysanths (below) will be launched in two weeks time at Pulse 2010, London!
finally a few cut outs of my personal favourite Geotaxis...!
If you would like further information about the tray collection contact Joakim Sohlberg at Ary Trays.
