‘Ethics is equal to aesthetics’ – a chat with Ro Smit

- written by Laura

‘My motivation as a social designer is clear,’ Dutch designer Ro Smit tells us right before London Design Festival starts. ‘In everything I do, I focus on needs, desires and human wellbeing. My slogan is “ethics is equal to aesthetics”.

Exhibiting as part of Dutch Stuff at London Design Fair between 20th and 23rd September, Ro Smit designs products that both look beautiful and have a social or environmental purpose. His work often hinges on close collaboration with a community of makers, from weavers with disabilities to traditional potters. By tweaking the production process for both of these groups (creating new looms and developing a new clay mix that made products dishwasher-safe hence revitalised a failing pottery industry), the resulting products are hugely individual and much more marketable. ’From my experience and knowledge of materials I use the core values and purity of resources that I translate back to sustainable product properties,’ he adds.

Ahead of the show we caught up with Ro to find out a bit more about his collections and what to expect from the London Design Fair show.

What are you showing as part of Dutch Stuff and how is that project representative of the ethos of the studio?

Two projects particularly show this: Wolwaeren and Tafelwaeren. Wolwaeren is a series of wool blankets and rugs with a recognisable authentic look and 'signature' of the maker. It started as an investigation into Texel sheep wool, which had become a worthless by-product. In search of local techniques and staff, I came into contact with a social enterprise and community for people with disabilities. I then developed my own weaving frames in which I enlarged and simplified the weaving process to suit the working styles of the makers and stimulate social interaction. With my Tafelwaeren ceramics program, I revitalised an age-old craft and provided new marketable products in an area where employment was needed. The range of ceramic tableware is fully developed and tuned for use in ovens, micro wave machines and dishwashers, which makes it ideal for use in the catering industry.

The title of the showcase is ‘Dutch Stuff’ – do you consider your stuff particularly Dutch? If so, how do you think your nationality has influenced your work?

My way of working is very Dutch: the hands on mentality, setting up everything from the beginning and not being afraid of getting my hands dirty. My sense of style and quality is often compared to the Scandinavian style, in terms of having an authentic, clear design and using natural materials that are presented in their ultimate form. But the imperfection that I reintroduce to the designs (and the concept behind them) is very Dutch.

Tell us more about the looms you made for Wolwaeren and how they suit each maker…

I was looking for local techniques and work forces to start a chain supply system and I joined the Maartenhuis, a social work community for people with disabilities on the island of Texel. I discovered that everyone in the community has their own talent: people with autism work very well with sophisticated, thin threads. People with Down’s syndrome are more skilled with thick threads, because they enjoy fast results. Fascinated by their unique personal skills, I recognised the potential in each member of the community and designed looms accordingly.

How has working with the Maartenhuis community impacted your work and approach to design?

The love, warmth and respect that people have for each other at the Maartenhuis is one of the most beautiful experiences I know. Through my approach I tried to empower everyone, so that each individual could excel in their own way. This is the common thread that you find in all my design processes. I design from a respect for the power of the maker. Because we started working with 2.5cm-thick yarn, it could no longer be processed on the looms the weavers normally use. I then developed new weaving frames, thinking about the strengths and possibilities of this target group. We have enlarged the weaving, as it were, so that they could easily see what they were doing and could recognise their own mistakes. In addition, they could now easily collaborate on a loom because they have to hand over the coil and transfer the levers together. Because everything is made of simple materials (wood and rope) we can easily repair the tools if something is broken.

The Texel wool you used for the project gave farmers who’d lost their livelihood in recent times a way to get a fair price for their work. What other projects have used materials in a similarly progressive way?

I do the same thing in Nepal with the potters, there it was, besides the raw material, also the labour that both needed an impulse. By making a new blend with different types of clay, which made the end product suitable for the dishwasher, oven and microwave, I was able to develop products with a wider application, giving local craft a boost.

Do you think design and craft has the power to impart change?

Absolutely. My drive is to be able to communicate my personal vision of the world through my designs and the systems that I set up. Because of my way of working, I pass this on to the craftsmen who in turn pass it on to their pupils. The products we make are a means of telling these beautiful stories. In this way, from generation to generation, the stories of the products can be retransmitted.