The Shipping Blues

Seto, like all Umbra products, is driven by its shipping requirements,” says designer David Quan. The constraint: flat packaging. “The shape of the cushions was predetermined,” he adds.

Seto is still in its tweaking phase. Scheduled for release this fall, it’s a stool/table combo, made of molded plywood, with a hollow space in the middle holding two cushions. When employed as a seat, a cushion fits into the grooved space formed by the bent plywood. Turned over it becomes a table with tapered sides.

“The density of the cushions is still an issue,” he says. “They need more give; it has to be softer. We also want to tighten up the detailing on the seams of the cushion. But it’s like a new suit. You have to put it on and adjust it as you go along.”