45 art & design
JIMMIE MARTIN Got a weakness for quirky tchotchkes with a twist? Then check out the popup store of British design studio Jimmie Martin. Located in the Urban Art House Gallery store until 30 June, you’ll find the duo’s exclusive furniture collection, with every piece hand painted and featuring urban influences inspired by graffiti art and – of course – the Union Jack.
Westerstraat 174 www.lena-library.com
fair-trade design GOODS Design label Goods curates sustainable and affordable interior accessories and furniture in collaboration with Dutch design icons – think: Marcel Wanders (industrial design candelabra ‘Lucy’, €167) and Bertjan Pot (the carbon fibre Random Chair, €675). Goods’ designs are exhibited all over the world, including in New York’s MoMA and the Design Museum in Iceland. The latest addition to the Goods stable is the Superhelden series (translated: ‘Superheroes’), feel-good dolls designed by Alexa Lixfeld in collaboration with kids from the Sri Lankan village of Kurunegala. Local kids, aged six to eight, described their ultimate superhero, and six of them are being produced to help fund a village school. The colourful dolls are made of 100% handwoven cotton, are fair trade and come with a matching sleeping bag. Buy Goods products at de Bijenkorf (Dam 1 , ww.debijenkorf.nl) or online.
natural mattresses COCO-MAT Founded to maximise the restorative power of a good night’s sleep, Coco-Mat’s mattresses are made of 100% natural materials – think: coconut and eucalyptus fibres, softest cotton and wool, while seaweed extract emits natural iodine scents that aid respiration. They’re so natural you could probably eat them in a crisis (though we wouldn’t recommend it). With a recycling rate of 96%, the imprint is minimal, and for those visiting, associate hotels let you sample the goods, while a pair of slippers is a luxurious gift – and hand-baggage friendly.
Overtoom 89 www.coco-mat.com