# Intertwined Wooden Chair Designs Karimoku and ECAL Students Create the HUG Chair By Amy Duong | Published 2025-04-16 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hug-chair-1 References: [karimoku-newstandard.jp](https://www.karimoku-newstandard.jp/en/)  Ten chairs were designed by master students at [ECAL](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/Ritual-based-mobile-design) and amongst them was the [HUG](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-hug-armchair) chair which was produced by Karimoku. This was designed as a part of a competition to create chairs for the Switzerland Pavilion at the World Exhibition as a part of Expo 2025 Osaka. The HUG chair was by students Min Xiyao and Jacob Kouthoofd Mårtensson. It is defined by a curved silhouette and stackability. The designers noted, "We designed the HUG chair with a simple yet thoughtful principle: three curves – one for stackability, one for comfort, and one for aesthetics." The head of master product design at EVAL Camille Blin explained the design process, "The aim was to design a stackable and versatile chair that could meet the various needs of visitors and pavilion staff. To avoid the environmental impact of shipping the chairs to Japan, we collaborated with [Karimoku New Standard](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/karimoku-case-study) to produce them locally." Image Credit: House of Switzerland ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.6/10 - Popularity: 44% | Activity: 25% | Freshness: 39% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Sustainable Local Production:** Emphasizing local manufacturing, the HUG chair collaboration reduces environmental impacts by eliminating long-distance shipping. - **Stackable Furniture Design:** The HUG chair showcases innovative stackable features, enhancing space efficiency for both residential and commercial settings. - **Collaborative Educational Projects:** Partnerships between educational institutions and manufacturers like Karimoku highlight new avenues for design competitiveness and curriculum integration. ### Where This Applies - **Furniture Manufacturing:** The collaboration on the HUG chair exemplifies how furniture manufacturers can leverage local resources to create environmentally friendly products. - **Sustainable Design:** Innovations like the HUG chair reflect the growing demand for sustainability-focused designs in the furniture industry. - **Higher Education:** Universities engaging in real-world design projects position themselves as leaders in practical and sustainable design education. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Low-Lying Profile Cushioned Seating](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kouros-maghsoudi.md) - [Enveloping Nested Layer Armchairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-hug-armchair.md) - [Collaborative Drapey Upholstered Chairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hidahida-chair.md) - [Draped Fabric-Clad Lounge Chairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hidahida.md) - [Curved Comfort Seating](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mysa.md) - [Simple Assembly Dining Chairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/yugan.md) - [Minimal Geometric Chair Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/euclid-chair.md) - [Versatile Dynamic Armchair Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dynamic-armchair.md) - [Futuristic Chair Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/futuristic-chair-concept.md)