Slowdown, a Lithuanian brand renowned for its high-quality bean bags, has evolved significantly since its founding in 2008. The company rebranded last year to focus on both indoor and outdoor seating solutions. We interview founder Remigijus Balciunas, to know more about the rebranding and the company's recent participation at Maison&Objet.
Remigijus Balciunas, CEO and Founder of Slowdown.
The company began with a simple personal need—Remigijus created a bean bag for his own home. 'I created the first beanbag for my personal house, and after that, I decided to start a business because there was quite an empty market here in Lithuania for these products,' says Remigijus. Today, Slowdown has grown into a company employing around 32 people and has established a solid international presence, with exports comprising nearly 70% of their business.
Maison&Objet and rebranding
Slowdown's latest participation at the Maison&Objet fair in Paris marked a key milestone for the company. 'It was a good fair, very busy for us,' Remigijus noted. At the fair, Slowdown showcased its outdoor beanbags, a growing segment for the company as demand for outdoor furniture continues to rise. 'Outdoor is getting more and more popular with our products,' he says. The outdoor collection was a big part of the company's recent rebranding. 'We see that it's getting more and more popular. Producers who before just produced indoor sofas are now stepping into outdoor products as well,' Remigijus explains.
Right now Slowdown has about half of its pieces for indoor use and half for outdoor with different fabrics suited for the location. One of the most popular fabrics at the fair was the new outdoor bouclé fabric. 'Bringing the indoors outdoors is one of the trends we're seeing right now,' Remigijus says. At the fair the brand had various different models on show from their popular beanbags, to sofa's and sunbeds. 'The feedback was very positive, especially for our new soft foam granulates. We're preparing for spring/summer season and sending samples. Generally we're happy with the result of the fair, but we will calculate it by orders later,' Remigijus laughs.
Goals for 2025
Looking ahead to 2025, Slowdown is aiming to continue its growth trajectory by expanding its product line and increasing its global footprint. The company is already preparing for upcoming fairs: INDEX in Dubai and Spoga+Gafa in Germany, where it plans to showcase its designs.
Furthermore, Slowdown is focusing on enhancing its outdoor collection, a sector that has proven to be a strong performer, particularly in warmer climates. 'We are doing a lot of business in countries like Spain and Italy,' Remigijus added. With a growing range of outdoor fabrics and furniture options, the company is well-positioned to cater to the continued trend of blending indoor and outdoor living spaces.
More information:
Slowdown
+370 685 50921
[email protected]
www.slowdown.cc
Lithuania