How did you start working with Plydesign?
 
Nieto Light and Plydesign exhibited on a collective stand at Construma' HOMEDesign trade fair in 2019. This is when I first met the founder and owner, Tamas Babits, who has a good head for business. Tamas came up with an idea regarding one of my lamps - what if we create it of plywood instead of acrylic polymer? I appreciated this idea which entailed a different perspective and a new approach in terms of material. After a short period of product development, the SHELFORDII-PLY lamp debuted in 2020, the fruit of our collaboration, and we have been producing several types of lamps ever since.
 
How would you describe the collaboration with Plydesign?
 
The great advantage of Plydesign is that they always have new ideas and strategies, which are essential for development. They have an innovative and focused mindset that produces effective and marketable products. Thanks to the dynamic leadership, I can be part of a constantly renewing and exciting collaboration.
 
What place or activity do you turn to for inspiration when you feel stuck in creative design?
 
I am a passionate fisherman. I spend most of my free time by the water whenever possible. Nature and the water are where I can deeply relax and draw inspiration.
 
What do you think about the relationship between industrial production/mass production and artisanal production? Are they in an irreconcilable conflict, or do they complement each other?
 
In my opinion, the two types of production are not opposite – they will always exist next to each other, bridging the gap between them. Artisanal production has always been about smaller quantities and not necessarily about the most modern technologies. Both types of production have their beauty and charms. Today, it is easy to mass-produce artisanal products while maintaining quality. Also, in many cases, mass-produced products are needed by artisans to make their products more marketable.
 
How is sustainability reflected in your work?
 
Primarily using sustainable materials (e.g. aluminium, wood, lichen, etc.) and highly energy-efficient technologies (e.g. LED systems). I greatly emphasise the sustainability of manufacturing in a more complex sense. I think it is important to look at sustainability not only in terms of materials but the production of the components of the luminaires. Therefore, I pay particular attention to ensuring that the components in my products come from as many local manufacturing sources as possible. In this way, I sustainably support Hungarian artisans’ businesses.