Gudbrandsdalens Uldvarefabrik specializes in woolen textiles. The mill has a unique production line where all processes take place under the same roof, from raw material to finished product. This means that we have control over the entire value chain, and with design, development and production close to each other, we have high flexibility and can create high quality products.

Gudbrandsdalens Uldvarefabrik produces textiles with nature as a source and input factor and with minimal use of chemicals. Wool is a natural raw material with natural technical properties that is renewable and biodegradable. The factory is known for products with a long lifespan. GU has received the DOGA label (formerly the Label for Good Design / Merket for God Design) 20 times for 23 products. One of our most famous textiles is the classic Hallingdal 65, designed by Nanna Ditzel.

For more than a hundred years, the mill has worked with and developed products based on wool's natural properties. Gudbrandsdalens Uldvarefabrik designs, develops and produces fabrics for the furniture industry (contract and home furniture), the transport sector (cruise ships, ferries, buses and trains) and for the clothing market. Almost every other "bunad" (Nationa Costume) in Norway has textiles from Gudbrandsdalens Uldvarefabrik. The mill has produced and supplied textiles for well known brands as Louis Vuitton, Frozen - The musical, Renault, Royal Caribbean Line, Hurtigruta, Ulvang and the shoe manufacturer Alfa.

Launch of Mandal - "Playful Precision - A colour story"

Mandal is a colour story. Because we work with a natural material, nature’s colours are never far away in our minds and we know that nature’s colours affect us deeply. Inspiration is accumulative and expanding and we build on colour impulses that we come across in our color-filled working environment, people we surround ourselves with, nature withs its seasonal changes and inspirational travels filled with design, art and architecture. The colours of Mandal have been a process of finding long-lasting colour schemes. We have created 46 fresh-looking colours, that can be layered and played with.

Mandal is a modern plain weave and tells the story of weaving with the simple interlacing of one thread with another. The dimensions are small and the proportions of the warp and weft are balanced, a perfect canvas for mixing colour with playful precision. Mandal is a smooth, cool wool fabric that perfectly fits into and compliments our upholstery collection. Mandal is designed by Ragnhild Nordhagen and colored in collaboration with Christiane Müller.

COLLAB: Edvin Klasson x Gudbrandsdalens Uldvarefabrik

This year's exhibition is designed by Edvin Klasson. Edvin is an Oslo-based designer who works in furniture and product design. Edvin's work is characterized by an exploration of symbolism, history and cultural heritage. Klasson has an MA degree in industrial design from the School of Architecture and Design in Oslo, including design studies at the Hochschule für Gestaltung Offenbach am Main and art history studies at the University of Oslo. He won the Norwegian Design Council's 'Young Talents' in 2013, the 'DOGA Mark for Good Design' in 2018, and a NYCxDESIGN 'Honoree' award in 2019. His work has been acquired by Norway's National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design and exhibited both at home and abroad with shows in Milan, New York, Brussels, Kortrijk, Stockholm and Berlin.

- I often question the heritage of cultural products, whether ancient or relatively new, through reinterpretation and symbolic play. Changing context, improving properties and building new narratives are all elements of my design practice. Through the collaboration with Gudbrandsdalens Uldvarefabrik, we have looked at how the new textile Mandal can create a change of direction in communication, while at the same time preserving the craftsmanship, quality and history. Mandal has a large and exciting color palette, and a structure that is tighter and lighter than what we often see from GU.

The designer is inspired by the colorful environment we surround ourselves with and the impulses we get through encounters with people, art, architecture and design. The colors are carefully balanced and create a palette that means you have a large space to play, while the result is delicate and well-thought-out regardless of which combinations are chosen. We call it "Playful Precision - a color study. The exhibition is the result of playing with classic form elements and color combinations.

Edvin Klasson

Program

Friday 8th Sept | Open 09.00 - 16.00
15.00 - 15.30 - Design-talk

Saturday 9th Sept | Open 09.00 - 18.00
16.00 - 16.30 - Design-talk