Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Nordic Design Special – Swedish Design
A bed for your buddy When living in the US with his dog Shiro, Mats Bengtsson noticed the different role that dogs had in many families, and he had an idea. He teamed up with Ida Nilsson, and together they founded Shiro&Malou with the vision of changing the dog’s place in the home.
“We see the dog as a part of the family and want to create products where functionality and design meet. There is something for all dogs, regardless of their breed or size.”
By Hanna Stjernström | Photos: Shiro&Malou
The first cornerstone was set during a dog walk in Gothenburg. The initial idea that Mats brought from the other side of the Atlantic was introduced to the marketing expert Ida Nilsson, and with their different backgrounds and perspectives, they laid the foundation for Shiro&Malou. A few years later, what started as an idea has turned into a growing business with man’s best friend in focus. “Dogs usually want to sleep on the couch and in the bed, so we thought that we would transfer that feeling of what dogs love to sleep on into a dog’s bed that is both comfortable and fits in with the interior in the home,” says Ida Nilsson, partner marketing manager at Shiro&Malou. “We want the products to be sustainable, offer great quality at a good price, and make the design available to everyone.” 22 | Issue 119 | December 2018
The thought about sustainability appears to be a key theme, as Ida Nilsson further describes what drives her and Mats in their work: “The keywords that we continuously work with are design, functionality, quality and sustainability,” she says, and adds: “I think it is different for all businesses, but for us, it is important to have consideration for the earth we live on, to have a clear purpose in everything we do and think green as far as we can.” Today, the business sells to 14 countries, and what started as a Scandinavianinspired dog bed has now evolved into a range of products that all link in with the modern, Swedish interior style. By working with the dog’s sleeping place as a starting point, the duo designs products that they like in colour schemes that fit in many homes and will last many years.
Web: www.shiromalou.se Facebook: shiromalou