T-Lab Europe: Our history, our ethics

T-Lab Europe: Notre histoire notre éthique

T-lab is a Japanese brand of small minimalist decorations.
These wooden animals
, handcrafted, were created in 2007, by nature and animal lovers. Here we would like to present the brand to you through the way it works and its values. After consulting this page, you will learn more about:

  • The choice of name Pole Pole
  • What is a Pole Pole from T-lab 
  • How T-lab's wooden sculptures are made
  • The characteristics of these wooden decorations
  • Ecological and responsible commitment

  • Welcome to T-lab Europe

    We are the official distributors of the Japanese brand in Europe, this means that we work hand in hand with T-lab in order to make it discover and share its creations.

    Our visit to the PoleToko store in Kobe

    For any information, we invite you to contact us via the contact page or on our instagram. 


    The choice of name Pole Pole

    The name Pole Pole pronounced "poh-leh poh-leh", which is the name of these charming decorative white wooden animals from Albizia, comes from the Swahili words meaning "slowly, slowly". It's a direct reference to the very nature of T-Lab carefully and slowly sculpted by the hands of our artisans.

    The name Pole Pole directly refers to the way the miniatures are made.

    Due to their lovingly crafted manual creation, each animal Pole Pole is slightly different, each expression is unique and delicately finished and hand painted by a skilled craftsman. With more than 60 different models, these sculptures Of wood are very easy to collect.

    What is Pole Pole T-Lab ?

    T-Lab manufactures original design, handmade wooden products from natural materials selected. These are hand carved and carefully polished by a team of artisans. Each "animal" has its unique facial expression decided by the craftsman, what they make them so special and make you want to collect!

    "From our hand to your hand.
    We want to warm people's hearts.
    This is the philosophy of T-Lab."

    Every T-Lab figure Pole Pole is made in Indonesia, expertly carved from an incredibly soft, non-composite natural wood called Albizia. It is a light wood and durable, grown on T-Lab's own farms in this tropical Southeast Asian country. This tree is one of tropical trees which grows the fastest. In addition to a remarkable quality of wood, their rapid growth makes them a durable tree.

    How are T-Lab wooden sculptures made?

    The first cut in the wood

    First, a piece of solid wood is cut into a rough shape, coarsely, and dried in an oven for a long time. This method allows the wood to be prepared for the next step without the use of chemicals.

    Each piece is carved 

    After that, we refine the shape with delicate sanding. Then come the finishes of the shape of the wooden animal, which requires a expertise and a considerable and precise mastery.

    Finishing and painting 

    Once the shape is well drawn, they are finished by hand and then polished with sandpaper to become really smooth.
    We paint each of these cuties by hand, giving it these expressions original and never copied. Therefore, each product has its own expression unique in the world. The final touches are made in Japan before taking place in your decor. 

    Discover here the steps of making our figurines

    What are the characteristics of these wooden decorations?

    These decorative figurines are aesthetically captivating, and very pleasant to the touch: soft, smooth, light. At the first impression, you don't even realize that they are made of wood; they have beautiful undulating curves and precise lines hand painted which give the feeling of a high quality object and a minimalist side. Nothing is left to chance for our Japanese company. 

    They are worked in a state of mind minimalist, in the pure Japanese tradition of interior decoration, beautiful and robust. Also, they will blend perfectly into a Nordic decoration, Scandinavian a hygge which are the current trends in interior decoration. Besides, we wrote a article on scandinavian decoration.

     

    Wooden figures for sustainable, ecological and ethical decoration

    As stated just before, the Abizia is a very fast growing tree, and not only is it less likely to cause the destruction of the forest due to its express push, but it also fertilizes thin land. Our animals in high quality wood are made from sustainable wood. When treated correctly, hardwood furniture and objects, for example, can outlast the life of an average product, sometimes over 100 years. Wood is known to be one of the most energy sources naturally renewable, which means it will have less impact on the environment than other materials.

    deco-eco-friendly

    Beyond these environmental factors, the effect of wood in your living environment does more than meets the eye. Research has shown that reducing the amount of artificial materials and introducingnatural alternatives, like wood, reduce stress and anxiety when you are at home.

    Wood has psychological effects on people and a stress reduction effect similar to that of nature. Like the decorations we have mentioned in this article, hygge and nordic, wood brings warmth and comfort to the home. It's up to you to take the plunge! 

    Thank you for reading our article so far, if you have any questions or comments, do not hesitate to let us know in the comment section. T Lab Pole Pole, 100% ethical, 100% human!

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    Décoration minimaliste et nordique les secrets de Pole Pole

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