"FLANNEL SOFA" - Original sofas made by hand at  the company's factory in Kitanagoya, Aichi. 

FLANNEL SOFA is a sofa manufacturer that creates original sofas based on the concept of "turning the momentary impression of sitting down into a lasting impression''. They are a sofa specialty store where you can order over 40 types of sofas from over 170 types of fabrics. Each piece is handmade by craftsmen at their own factory in Kitanagoya City.

This time, we interviewed Ms Komi Kuroda, the manager of the showroom at the Nagoya main store, about the appeal of the company's sofas, the company's own factory, and how to choose a sofa.

A store specializing in sofas born from technology cultivated over 35 years

Akumi Kuroda, manager of the Nagoya main store showroom

FLANNEL SOFA is currently based in Nagoya, Tokyo, and Fukuoka. The company was born from a subcontractor manufacturer that has been making sofas for 35 years in Nagoya.

Kuroda: "Our representative Wada's family was a sofa manufacturer, but as the production base moved to China where labor costs are cheaper, we felt a strong sense of crisis about continuing the existing business. He also had doubts about the furniture industry's "manufacturer-wholesaler-retailer-customer" structure, in which the customer's voice does not reach the manufacturer. Therefore, in 1997, Wada, who was a student at the time, launched FLANNEL SOFA, a store specializing in original sofas. The representative himself is a craftsman who makes sofas and supervises the manufacturing department. One of the strengths of FLANNEL SOFA is that we can deliver customer feedback directly to the factory. "

Turning the momentary impression of sitting down into a lasting impression

1F SHOWROOM: Exhibition centering on new items.

2F SHOWROOM ： Mainly displays standard items, with a larger number of sofas than on the first floor, so you can compare the comfort of the sofas and choose the best one for you.

Next, I learned about the concept of FLANNEL SOFA.

Kuroda: "Our concept is to turn the momentary impression of sitting down into a lasting impression, and all FLANNEL SOFA sofas are handmade at our factory in Kitanagoya City. We believe that one of the strengths of our domestically produced sofas is that we can offer sofas that are not only in terms of design and quality, but also fit the body and lifestyle of the Japanese people. We also perform maintenance such as reupholstering and repairs at our own factory, aiming to create sofas that can be used for a long time once purchased."

You can combine more than 170 types of abundant fabrics and color patterns.

The structure of a sofa consists largely of a wooden frame, springs, and urethane. There are three types of springs: Dymetrol, coil springs, and S springs. Each of them provides different seating comfort.

Kuroda: "Many of our customers actually reupholster their sofas. Just by reupholstering the fabric, the look of the sofa can be changed, so some customers change it to suit their lifestyle at the time. When we reupholster, we reinforce the urethane material and inspect the wooden frame and springs. If desired, we can also change the seating comfort, for example, "I would like it to be harder than the old one."

Own factory in Kitanagoya City

Own factory in Kitanagoya

As we have introduced so far, FLANNEL SOFA's greatest strength is its own sofa factory. They are all hand made by professional craftsmen, not machines.

Kuroda: "At FLANNEL SOFA, after receiving an order from a customer, a craftsman carefully manufactures each sofa in our own factory. A sofa craftsman is both a creator and a designer."

Now, we will introduce a little bit of the sofa manufacturing process from here. It can be roughly divided into five processes: cutting, sewing, underlay, urethane bonding, and upholstery.

① Fabric cutting

The lines to which the mold has been transferred are carefully cut. The key is to judge whether to cut inside, outside, or in the center of the line depending on the stretch of the fabric.

② Fabric sewing

FLANNEL SOFA mainly uses thread #30. Cotton thread is used for fabric, nylon thread is used for fake leather, and #8 nylon thick thread is used for genuine leather. Select and use the thread that is most compatible with the fabric and has the strength.

③Underlay

Attach springs, knitwear, and PP tape to the wooden frame and attach the inner members of the sofa. Each has different hardness, stretchability, and resilience, and the combination of them creates the ideal seating comfort.

④Urethane adhesion

Urethane made in Japan is firmly affixed to the sofa. The density of the urethane applied varies depending on the type of sofa.

⑤ Sofa upholstery

Upholstery is stretched over the parts of the sofa that have been attached to the urethane. The tension of the upholstery is adjusted according to the stretch of the fabric and the hardness and softness of the seating. This is where all the finishing touches are made.

The finished sofa is inspected in detail many times and then thoroughly cleaned. Every process is done by hand, and you will receive your own original sofa.

Choosing a sofa that fits your lifestyle

She then gave us some pointers on how to choose a sofa.

Kuroda: "I think it will be easier to choose a sofa if you have a concrete image of the kind of life you want to lead with it, in addition to its size. For example, if you spend a lot of time lying down during the day, the sofa needs to be deep enough for you to lie down. If you spend a lot of time sitting, the comfort and height of the backrest are also important. Sofas are not for decoration, but for use. I hope you will take the time to check not only the design but also the seating comfort."

From here, we will pick up and introduce the most popular of the over 40 types of FLANNEL SOFA. Recently, there are many people who place the sofa in the center of the room, so it seems that many people choose a low sofa.

"SIESTA" that makes you want to take a nap

SIESTA 2.5 seater ¥ 150,000~ (excluding tax)

SIESTA means "nap" in Spanish. A sofa that allows you to sit and sleep comfortably. It's a low sofa with a low back, so it doesn't feel oppressive and makes the room look wider. When we actually laid down on it, we found that the solid firmness of the seat was comfortable, and it was stable and comfortable to sleep on.

http://www.flannelsofa.com/shop/siesta.php

With a depth of 630mm, it is spacious enough for adults to sleep comfortably.

SIESTA's elbow design is cut diagonally and functions as a pillow when lying down.

150mm steel legs. It is also possible to change to wooden legs.

You can sit in any direction, "PIVO"

PIVO (2.5 seater) ¥ 151,500~ (excluding tax)

PIVO is a low sofa with a unique design. This sofa can be sat on in any direction due to its partially-sloped back and shoulder-arm structure. Because the back and elbows are of uniform height and angle, there is no concept of necessarily sitting facing forward. Depending on the scene or area, it is easy to change the sitting direction and communicate with others. This is a sofa you want to place in the center of your room.

http://www.flannelsofa.com/shop/pivo.php

By placing it in the center of the room, you can sit facing the dining area as well as the living area.

The elbow cushions for PIVO have just the right amount of firmness and elasticity, and are recommended as elbow rests and pillows when lying down.

LINTO combines simplicity and functionality

LINTO (2.5 seater) ¥197,700 and up (excluding tax)

LINTO is a covering sofa with removable elbows. It is a sofa that has both excellent maintainability and a beautiful simple design that can be placed anywhere in the room. It features multi-layered plywood elbows that look like a bird spreading its wings.

http://www.flannelsofa.com/shop/linto.php

Beautifully curved plywood elbows in beech wood.

The large stool becomes a special seat for one person when removed from the sofa.

"OBRYS" with 10 colors of threads to choose from and fun combinations of fabrics

OBRYS 2.5 seater ¥ 169,400~ (excluding tax)

OBRYS, with its striking lines framing the sofa, comes in ten different thread colors and combinations of fabrics, making it the star of any room. The thick, solid back creates a gentle partition in the dining room, creating a space for relaxation. Another nice feature is that it is "full covering," which can always be kept clean. A full-covering sofa is a type of sofa in which the entire body can be covered (changeable).

http://www.flannelsofa.com/shop/obrys.php?size=3

The depth of the seat is 650mm, so it is wide enough for an adult to sit cross-legged.

10 colors of thread, more than 170 types of fabrics to choose from. It's fun to find your own favorite combination.

"QUATT" -  softness surrounded by feather cushions

"QUATT" is a great combination of feathers and a large seat. Feather and polyester cotton give the seat a firm and elastic feel, and the back cushion gently conforms to the body, providing a comfortable seating experience. A sofa where you can relax. Fully covering, all fabrics can be hand washed or dry cleaned.

http://www.flannelsofa.com/shop/quatt.php?size=2

The corner sofa is a large size with a seat width of 950mm.

With the independent cushion, it is possible to partially repair such as sagging due to aging deterioration, so maintenance costs can be reduced.