Born in 2013, DAM is a sample of Portuguese know-how, quality, and sustainability in equal parts. A company whose ties to its land, culture and nature are manifested in its designs and the way it produces. Their vision of the world and how to preserve it marks their company’s commitment to a sustainable production model.
Today we talk to them about their company and products to learn more about these entrepreneurs with capital letters!
What is DAM, how would you define the brand, who are its members and what are its objectives?
DAM is about Design, Crafts and Industry. It’s about products that tell stories. The brand presents high-quality furniture and accessories products aimed at retailers and interior designers who develop residential, corporate and hotel decoration projects worldwide. In 2013, the brand was born of the desire to explore materials and traditional techniques and bring them to the furniture sector, reflecting Portuguese culture.
Hugo Silva and Joana Santos are the co-founders and resident Designers of the brand. Both graduated in Design from the University of Aveiro, Portugal. We have developed quite different professional activities in different design aspects in our professional careers. Joana Santos worked in Graphic Design in different companies, developing branding and graphic communication projects. Hugo Silva worked as an Interaction Designer, researcher and consultant for the University of Aveiro and different museology companies. Today, we both participate in the creative development of DAM brand products, and here their creative skills are fundamental to the development of the brand.
Where does DAM furniture find its inspiration? What characteristics are common to the entire DAM furniture and accessories line? Or what do you think are its distinguishing features?
In Portugal, skills and know-how are abundant. We work closely with people with different experiences, so each piece results from local synergies between designers, artisans and industry.
There is also a collective heritage that stays genuine. We are based in São João da Madeira, 30 km from Porto, 20 km from the Maritime Coast, 30 km from the mountains, and 40 km from the airport. Besides this, 30 km from us is one of the first wine-producing regions of the world – Douro Valley. And also a landscape that gives us energy and creativity, making us feel good.
So, the people, nature, the flavors, artifacts, and the stories are the inspiration. This is why we have passion for our country and a conviction: our location is exceptional, and our people make a difference. So, our products reflect what surrounds us.
We also work with different natural materials, believing that in their combination, we enrich and differentiate our products.
Which product or products do you think best reflect the style and character DAM wants to give to its products from the entire DAM catalog? Which product would you choose as the emblem of your catalog?
It is challenging to choose the best product. It’s like asking parents which child they prefer 🙂
But of course, the first products we develop are the ones we care most about. They are the Nel and Maria bedside tables and the PIPO stool. They were the ones that started by giving visibility to the brand and that won the POP’s award – Portuguese Original Products – in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
These products’ simplicity, creativity, and natural materials reflect the brand’s philosophy, which values sustainability and storytelling.
They are essential concepts to translate an environment into a cozy and happy place. And we believe these products find a balance between materials, shapes, colors, textures, smells and messages.
DAM emphasizes the sustainability of its products. How does this sustainability manifest itself in its products, that is, in which phases of the production process of its furniture does it introduce sustainable criteria and which ones?
Sustainability is the primary condition of DAM. The products are of high quality and incorporate natural materials and narratives for present generations while ensuring that future generations can enjoy the same materials and the same narratives. Sustainability is, therefore, the condition directly related to economic development, material and immaterial, without harming the environment, using natural resources and human work intelligently so that they remain in the future.
Thus, following five fundamental values, the brand guarantees the sustainability of its actions in the life cycle of its product.
“Design Memories”
At DAM, Design is the tool for creating a unique narrative for each product. Creativity and originality are the results of research and collection of stories about cultural heritage and analysis of everyday life, intending to develop highly appealing emotional products distinct from its competitors’ offers.
“Made in Portugal”
The production, assembly and packaging of DAM products are carried out in Portugal. We make a rigorous choice of the suppliers, and we carry out permanent quality control. We work with socially responsible manufacturers that operate according to the highest ethical standards. We work closely with people with different experiences that contribute to a shared goal that everyone is proud to believe in – to valorize what is done locally. We have an unwavering passion for our country, and we are convinced that our location is unique and our people make a difference.
“Natural Materials”
We make a rigorous choice of materials, prioritizing the natural materials and materials that best represent our culture, thus promoting the local economy – cork, straw, rope and marbles. It should be noted that natural products, in addition to having longer life cycles, are usually easy to maintain and restore compared to synthetic products.
“Made to order and Customization”
As the production is made to order, we present the possibility of personalizing each of the characteristics of the products, and we also recreate it from a specific briefing. This also reduces the number of products or components and avoids waste.
“Smile Price”
We define a fair price for each product, which reflects its innovation and creativity, the quality of materials, and the reliability of national production and distribution. This is so that the value perceived by customers comprises its high added value, thus protecting and promoting an economy for sustainability.
Does DAM manufacture locally, or does it outsource its production? Does it produce in-house or work with other companies in the sector manufacturing all or parts of its furniture?
The products are exclusively produced in Portugal through outsourcing. Most manufacturers are located in the north of Portugal, where there is a wide variety of production solutions. We select socially responsible manufacturers who operate according to high ethical standards.
Production is developed in close collaboration with different companies, with different experiences that contribute to a common goal that everyone is proud to believe in – valuing what is made locally. So, the products are made by artisans and machines. Craftsmanship and artisanal techniques are part of our creative and production process combined with more industrialized processes, such as access to advanced robotic production technologies. We make a bridge and balance between two very different worlds. Furthermore, this heritage is a source of inspiration due to the materials and processes they use, such as the weaving of rice straw to design a hat. But we are also inspired by the people who give life to these processes, which we are fond of, who make us want to preserve and present this intangible heritage. We also know that there are still no machines that can replace the human hand or eye, so we guarantee quality and the compromise between materials, technology and craftsmanship to produce beautiful and well-made products.
Does DAM have environmental or other certifications that endorse its commitment to sustainability in this commitment to committing products to sustainability? Which ones and what is the purpose of these certifications?
Only the materials we use have certifications.
For example, we only use the highest quality wood from sustainable and certified forests (FSC), where pruning, replanting, and general care of the trees are regularly monitored in their handling until transformation into quality boards.
Another example is the fabrics we use that are certified by OEKO-TEX, guaranteeing clean and safe materials produced in socially and environmentally healthy conditions. In addition, we only select what, in addition to the exquisite touch, has better performance and durability.
Then we have the cork that has FSC Certification and has been the subject of several performance tests with excellent results, such as the very low VOC emissions. The cork is 100% natural, recyclable, reusable and renewable and therefore considered a raw material of excellence with favorable consequences for natural resources and Planet Earth. Cork has practically unlimited durability, maintaining all its characteristics throughout its useful life. In addition to the high thermal and acoustic insulation performance, it is resistant to abrasion and impact and is also flame retardant. Besides that, 93% of energy consumption to develop cork blocks and boards is obtained from biomass, making it a very low embodied energy material. Collected every nine years from the cork oak, cork is 100% vegetable, biodegradable, and recyclable without cutting in this process. The cork oak is the only tree whose bark regenerates and can be harvested around 17 times over 200 years, representing no harm to the environment.
Does this choice of materials under sustainability criteria imply special care for the products, or does it affect their durability or everyday usability?
We make a rigorous choice of materials, prioritizing the natural materials and materials that best represent our culture, thus promoting the local economy – cork, straw, rope and marbles. It should be noted that natural products, in addition to having longer life cycles, are usually easy to maintain and restore compared to synthetic products.
For example, we only use the highest quality wood from sustainable and certified forests (FSC), where pruning, replanting, and general care of the trees are regularly monitored in their handling until transformation into quality boards.
Another example is the fabrics we use that are certified by OEKO-TEX, guaranteeing clean and safe materials produced in socially and environmentally healthy conditions; in addition, we only select what has better performance in addition to the exquisite touch and durability.
Then we have cork, which is 100% natural, recyclable, reusable and renewable and therefore considered a raw material of excellence with favorable consequences for natural resources and Planet Earth. Cork has practically unlimited durability, maintaining all its characteristics throughout its useful life. In addition to the high thermal and acoustic insulation performance, it is resistant to abrasion and impact and is also flame retardant. Collected every nine years from the cork oak, cork is 100% vegetable, biodegradable, and recyclable without cutting in this process. The cork oak is the only tree whose bark regenerates and can be harvested around 17 times over 200 years, representing no harm to the environment.
Do you think DAM is the business model we need to change the prevailing consumption pattern in today’s society? What degree of awareness do you think exists in Portuguese society concerning the sustainable consumption model? What aspects do you think still need to be improved (if any) for DAM to be an optimal model of sustainable development?
DAM is an emotional brand. It’s good for health. We put our whole soul into our products, filling them with personality because we believe that life is too short to waste time on bland or disposable products. And we use natural materials to promote healthier and more sustainable interiors.
It is proven that the environment we live indirectly impacts our physical and mental well-being. So we want to contribute to comfortable spaces, happier people, and healthier lifestyles.
Portugal has experienced unprecedented business and entrepreneurial growth in the last decade. How do you see the furniture design sector in this sense, what position do you think it holds, how is Portuguese Design valued in the sector, and have you noticed a greater interest in Portuguese Design outside your borders?
Design in Portugal, in our view, does not have a very definite tradition. This is because the discipline of Design is recent in our country, and the profession is not valued. Both the private sector and the public are far from integrating Design discipline and its practices into their projects. This integration happens very punctually in some companies and some municipalities. Therefore, especially in our industry, we are still more producers than brand and product creators.
But we want to believe that a new generation of Designers is being born who want to do something different like us. Some brands and designers have been awarded and recognized internationally. Its simplicity of design approach combined with humor and something unexpected, respecting the materials and their most traditional production processes are what best define it.
What do you expect from DAM in the coming years? Will we see DAM branches opening in other countries?
Our focus is to be the preferred sustainable products brand for interior design professionals, promoting the “Made in Portugal.” We want to reach new clients worldwide and also new clients in Portugal.
We also continue to invest in innovation and the development of new products, with new stories and materials as differentiating factors.
And we will work in partnership with other designers, thus opening space for new experiences, recognizing and promoting the magnificent work of some Portuguese designers.
At Ekohunters, we love to present companies whose commitment and responsibility towards sustainable development is not only an added value but a clear and defined identity sign. DAM is an example of this. A company that manufactures and designs with elegance and style and is committed to sustainability.
Visit DAM shop at Ekohunters and choose from their wide range of products, the ones that best suit your taste and needs.
