Graf Lantz is a Los Angeles-based design company that creates stylish, eco-friendly pieces from natural materials like merino wool felt, hemp, and vegetable-tanned leather. Holger Graf and Daniel Lantz create beautiful, functional, and biodegradable bags, tableware, wine cases, and clothing from their Silver Lake studio. Imagine German precision (Graf has a PhD in structural engineering) meets Japanese minimalism (Lanz was a Mormon missionary to Japan) under the bright California sun, and you’ll start to get the vibe.
This year, the company celebrates its 15th anniversary, and its business is up 25% year-over-year. I spoke with founder and executive creative director Louis Turlin to find out the latest news, plans for the future, and what inspires the team behind these beloved products. Below is part of the conversation:
Daniel Lanz: We always think: “How can we make products that are practical, durable, made of high-quality materials and in line with current trends?” Many products on the market are disposable, short-lived and of poor quality. We create products that are strong, durable and long-lasting.
Louis Turlin: In a world filled with plastic, people are always pleasantly surprised when they see a product that actually lives up to its hype. Graf Lantz has a wide range of products, but I think the success of products like this coaster shows how much Daniel and Holger can create with so little material. In a way, felt coasters on a table are the purest form of industrial design, aren’t they? It turns a material into a highly functional product with minimal effort. I think that’s why people love it and why it’s our biggest success in a long time. It clearly resonated with people emotionally. This coaster embodies the company’s philosophy: simplicity, substance, functionality, style and durability.
Holger Graf: We are expanding our markets in Japan, the UK and Canada, where we have been selling for some time, in a more organised and professional manner. We recently launched the Campus Tote, our first new bag in many years, and in collaboration with Tom Ford Plastics Innovation Award winner Sway, we have produced a limited edition Wine-Otes set using seaweed-based “plastic”.
Louis Turlin: We really want to strengthen our positioning as a lifestyle brand, because that’s how Graf Lantz has always been positioned. When you’re a small company and you’re touching all these different areas, it’s hard for people to see the full picture of the lifestyle you’re living. But we’ve been working together for the last 15 years to continually expand our product categories. In a few weeks, we’ll be launching glassware. We’ve added clothing. Our goal is not to dominate the world, but to show how our core products – coasters, tabletop items, bags – become more than just a one-time item you buy as a gift.
Let’s talk about bags. My company’s employees really like your merino wool bags, such as the Jaunt Mini, Bedford Merino Wolf-Felt Satchel, etc. Every time my wife leaves the house with a bag, she almost always gets compliments from people around her. How important are bags to you now?
Daniel Lanz: People have been using our bags since we started our business, and they still play an important role in our business. We love tools. It’s always nice to have the perfect tool at the right time. The same goes for us. Bags made of felt and animal hair are not only beautiful, but also practical for carrying things – a concept that has been around for 10,000 years.
Louis Thelin: It is no exaggeration to say that suitcases allowed us to grow as human beings. The ability to leave our homes and take our belongings with us allowed people to travel around the world.
Holger Graf: Our bags will always be the core of our brand. We are expanding our product range. We are making more functional tote bags and will be moving towards more fashionable bags, with more emphasis on colour and softness.
Holger Graf: I discovered a completely new way of tanning leather that improved almost every aspect of the process, and although I can’t reveal the details yet, I can say that I became completely obsessed with it and was willing to spend time in an ugly old leather tanning factory.
Louis Turlin: I am inspired by the low-tech accidents of human production, so these accidents could be non-mainstream art or some interior design books that are not as detailed as typical design-based interiors. As for music, I would probably listen to old African jazz records or even early punk albums that focus more on texture than sophistication. The beauty of imperfection is my muse.
Daniel Lanz: I have a weird feeling about [1980s British electronic band] Underworld. I listen to their music so much that when they play, I can focus on my work. It’s very realistic and not so mechanical, and I think that’s exactly what we wanted to create.