From Finnish forests: Woodio shapes tubs and sinks from wood

Woodio is shaking up the bathroom - with wood-based basins, bathtubs and even a toilet. We introduce the young Finnish bathroom brand.

The "Flow" freestanding bathtub (4000 euros) is made of a solid wood composite of real wood chips and resins. Woodio

The "Flow" freestanding bathtub (3999 euros) is made of a solid wood composite of real wood chips and resins.

Sustainable, but rethought: Wood is almost unrecognizable in bathrooms by Woodio

Wood is part of the DNA of Finnish design. So far, so good. But the fact that sanitary objects are now also made of poplar and birch wood is a surprise. "Our mission is to stand out from conventional materials and production methods in the bathroom industry," says Petro Lahtinen. He is aware that the market is highly competitive, but he sees his opportunity in the niche. Lahtinen, who has a doctorate in chemistry, had already been in the wood business for several years before founding Woodio together with Antti Pärssinen. Originally, they had the idea of producing tiles from wood. "Ironically, we now produce many bathroom products, just not tiles," he says with a laugh.

Woodio also furnishes hotel projects. In the "Sokos Hotel" in Kupittaa, the "Soft60" sink was effectively combined with a palm tree wallpaper.

"Sustainability alone does not sell. People want products that look good - it always has and always will."

A year after the company was founded, Woodio's first product hit the market in 2017. Meanwhile, the manufacturer plays with 17 different washbasin models, a freestanding bathtub, a toilet and accessories such as wall hooks the entire bathroom space. All products are made in Finland - from a waterproof composite of wood chips and resins. "It is important for us to produce ourselves," says Lahtinen. "It's the only way we can control the quality of our products and develop the technologies." The sustainable composite material is joined by a straightforward design from Pentagon Design in Helsinki. A wall-hung, technically sophisticated WC has just been launched, which Woodio spent four years developing. Like all products, "Block" is kept very simple and therefore suits very different interior styles. "Sustainability alone doesn't sell," says Lahtinen. "People want products that look good - it always has and always will."

The organically shaped, hand-flattering "Soft60" washbasin is also available in the dark shade "Char," €499.

Woodio contributed both the circular washbasin "Soft40" and the wall-hung WC to this interior. "Block" is the young company's latest product, backed by four years of development work.

How To Install Gutters On Your House