sancal obi and sumo sofas reference japanese kimonos and wrestlers

sourcing influence from the country of japan, sancal presents two upholstered sofas; ‘obi’ and ‘sumo’. the former was created by in-house designer rafa garcía, whilst the latter was designed by valencia-based creative studio yonoh. referencing the japanese kimono robe, the ‘obi’ takes its quilted back and seat area pattern from the large bows that appear on the back of the traditional items of clothing. enabling the use of extra layers of foam, these elements of quilting, as well as the high back and curved arms, beckon users in and create an extremely comfortable mattress-like sofa.

all images courtesy of sancal

in contrast to its extraordinary cosiness, the sancal ‘obi’ has a very light-feel design. the sofa is available with unique feet options; the anti-gravity, transparent acrylic legs, or a stained ash set. being as practical as it is comfy, the furniture piece features an extensive array of additional modules, including long-angled corner pieces and a 134cm chaise longue.

the sofa gets its name from the ‘obi’ bow on the back of kimono robes

the sancal ‘sumo’ by designers clara del portillo and alex selma of yonoh, features a large, round form perched on wooden legs, looking as if poised to take to the ring. available as a sofa or armchair, the furniture’s form was influenced by the powerful silhouettes of the wrestlers, and contrasts with the ash timber feet, which would typically been seen dotted around the sport’s ring. despite its large influences, the design has a soft appearance and has a very small footprint (178cm and 92cm for the sofa and armchair respectively).

the high and quilted back enables more foam to be used, and helps provide an extremely comfy sofa

the sancal ‘tortuga’ (left) by nadadora, features alongside the ‘obi’ sofa
see designboom’s coverage of the ‘tortuga’ here

sancal’s ‘obi’ sofa and ‘tortuga’ chair

‘obi’ is a soft and inviting seat

the furniture is as practical as it is comfortable

long angled pieces to make corner sofas and a 134cm chaise longue for extra depth, can be added to ‘obi’

 its back height and curved arms beckon users to sink into the soft, quilted seat

the furniture piece comes in a range of color options

the ‘obi’ is an extraordinarily comfortable mattress-like sofa

it is available with wooden or acrylic feet

the sancal ‘sumo’ sofa’s upholstered seat contrasts with the wooden legs

the furniture piece is available as either an armchair or a sofa

the form of the ‘sumo’ sofa references the silhouettes of the wrestlers

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