Founded in Denmark in 2021, Mindo is a young yet impactful brand born out of a shared passion for innovative design and premium materials. Despite launching during a tumultuous time marked by global challenges, Mindo has quickly established itself as a player in the outdoor furniture market. In an interview with Mindo's CEO and founder Thomas O. Andersen, we delve into the brand's expansion, key markets and challenges it faces in today's economy.
On the left, Danish designer Thomas E. Alken. On the right, Thomas O. Andersen, CEO and founder of Mindo.
Can you tell us more about the history of Mindo and how it was founded?
'Mindo was founded in Denmark in 2021 from a shared passion for innovative design and a dedication to high-quality materials. My partner, Ray, and I bring years of experience in the outdoor furniture industry, and we built Mindo on the foundation of a unique, patented extension table and bench concept. From the start, innovation and premium materials have been at the heart of Mindo's identity. Living in a country with variable weather and short summers, we understand the value of well-crafted outdoor furniture.
As Mindo's CEO, I still work closely with our European designers, as well as with the engineers and craftsmen at our production site near Shanghai. Launching a company during the pandemic brought significant challenges, with global inflation, conflicts, shipping disruptions, and political instability impacting our supply chain and sales. Though the journey has been tough, our small size has enabled us to adapt, making Mindo a resilient and agile company.'
In what markets is the brand most active?
'Our primary clients are overseas, with a strong following in the Asia-Pacific region, where the Scandinavian design of our outdoor furniture has been well-received. While the European market for furniture retail has been slower, we've begun to engage in a few notable projects across Europe. This year, we established a permanent showroom in Atlanta, marking the beginning of a stronger focus on the North American market.'
How is the market right now? Do you experience any challenges because of the economy?
'We're certainly feeling the effects of the global economy on our sales. However, as a company dedicated to eco-conscious furniture making, we remain optimistic about the market's direction. Our goal isn't to flood the market with cheap, disposable items that harm the environment. Instead, we focus on serving environmentally-aware consumers who invest in high-quality, lasting furniture. Mindo is dedicated to producing relevant, enduring, high-quality designs without compromising our values, and we believe in our approach for the long term, even if there are challenges along the way.'
In the last months, you've won the Red Dot Award 2024 for the Mindo 121 bamboo folding chair and you were recently awarded another design distinction for the Mindo 122 Layers sofa. Can you tell us more about this?
'We're incredibly proud to receive recognition from two respected design institutions for different Mindo products. The Red Dot Award is a prestigious acknowledgment of the mindo 121 folding chair, designed by Danish designer Jesper K. Thomsen. The chair reflects our eco-conscious principles, as we chose bamboo—a durable and eco-friendly material—and designed it to fold for compact storage and efficient shipping.
Our Layers sofa, crafted by Danish designer Thomas E. Alken, won the Archiproducts Design Award for its focus on longevity and repairability. In today's world, it's essential to incorporate repair possibilities into design to conserve resources. At Mindo, innovative design is part of our DNA, and it's been both rewarding and enjoyable to explore what's possible alongside these talented designers.'
What are the future plans for the company?
'We've proven that we can create beautiful, comfortable, and high-quality furniture. Now, we want to make Mindo a relevant choice for a wider audience, without sacrificing design or quality. Our goal isn't to be the biggest or to grow at any cost. Instead, we aim to challenge both ourselves and consumers to consider relevance and necessity. We decided early on to focus on producing meaningful furniture—because how many chairs and tables does the world really need?
We look forward to continuing our journey, growing responsibly, and creating outdoor moments of calm, joy, and reflection for our consumers.'
More information:
Mindo
+45 31 39 89 10
[email protected]
www.mindo.com
Denmark