2_0_DiscoverGermany_August 2015_Issue29:Scan Magazine 1
27/7/15
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Page 118
‘Nature is our best designer’ Family business mafi stands for exceptional, natural wood floors which are sure to impress with their sustainable character and high quality. Exclusively made in Austria, each floor is completely organic and individually tailor-made for each client with more hands than machines. TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: MAFI.COM
“Our core philosophy is sustainability,” Christian Hemetsberger, Public Relations and Sales Manager at mafi Naturholzboden GmbH, explains. While everything is produced and controlled in two production plants in Austria, all wood used stems from sustainable Central European wood plantations. “We use the whole tree. Even the smallest cut-offs are made into heating pellets,” Hemetsberger notes.
glued together without formaldehyde before it gets finished with chemical-free oil. He adds:“Indoor climates can substantially be changed by wood floors and many conventional floors are closed up with unnatural layers just on top. We oil our floors the most natural way and let the oil dry by air so that pores remain open.” Brushed and oiled, the floors are sure to last a lifetime and are scratch-resistant and stiletto proof.
The family business has quickly developed into a sustainable wooden floor company over the past 100 years. What is special about mafi’s wooden floors is that the natural wood keeps its positive characteristics “so you can feel nature at home,”Hemetsberger notes. He says: “After all, wood should remain wood.”The raw material gets air dried and three layers of solid wood are
A special symmetrical three-layer construction of the plank ensures stability and prevents gaps, warping or cupping.“Wood moves and our symmetrical structure creates a countermove which limits this motion,” Hemetsberger explains. mafi wooden floors are also easily cared for. Just like human pores, wood needs to breathe and be cleaned with soap. Thus, mafi’s own natu-
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ral, antibacterial cleaning product regenerates and moisturises so that the wood ensures a balanced humidity and regulates the room climate. It also filters and cleans the air and therefore reduces dust formation. No wonder mafi floors have been approved by the Australian National Asthma Council. Another advantage is that wood directs one’s body temperature slower than smooth materials so that one can experience a warm feeling under their feet. Thus, the product is also perfect to embellish bathrooms; also because the floors are nonslip. Available in a variety of beautifully rustic, natural looks or with exciting carvings, each floor is produced to order and are therefore unique and customisable. www.mafi.com
Main image: The milled BEECH Vulcano Fresco collection Top: Mafi’s carving collection (left & middle) Tiger Oak Collection (right) Portrait: Christian Hemetsberger, Public Relations and Sales Manager at mafi Naturholzboden GmbH