03.12.2021. INTERHOLCO is proud to present Lobi, the spearhead of its first collection made from FSC®* certified Sustainable Hardwood, Made in Africa according to the most demanding socio-environmental criteria. Lobi means 'tomorrow' and 'future' in the broadest sense; the name is derived from Lingala, the most widely used language in Congo Basin countries.
Lobi is not just a writing object, but a muse that can inspire us to draw the lines or words that best express our feelings or projects. Her secret? To draw a door on an impassable wall and then open it. Such a key makes it possible to sketch the contours of one's dreams on the material of one's choice, be it paper, fabric or wood. Lobi is for designers, craftsmen and architects in the broadest sense possible, with an optimal, ergonomic shape, as timeless as the future.
Lobi is available in Bosse, Kanda and Sapelli - three of Africa's leading wood species from the Ngombé forest, which INTERHOLCO responsibly manages in the northern Republic of Congo. Bosse is salmon-pink in colour holding a cedar-like fragrance. Kanda, of which there are several varieties, is similar to Walnut in terms of colour and grain quality. Sapelli does not even need an introduction, it is extremely well known thanks to its quality and the charm of its iridescent reflections.
Each piece is unique, as is the hardwood chosen by designer Jean-Frédéric Fesseler, born in Berlin and French by birth: ‘I combine artistic woodwork with a stylistically pure design, to reveal the soul of the wood.’
After his international education at the Belgian Institut Saint-Luc de Tournai Jean-Frédéric attended the Escuela Superior de Disseny i Art “Llotja” in Barcelona after learning the essential techniques of woodworking from his father, a furniture restorer.
Nominated for the Interior Innovation Award 2014, he has participated in numerous international exhibitions, including Beijing Design Week, ICFF New York (2018) and the Salone Satellite in Milan (2019). His work has also been exhibited at the Mint Gallery in London (2019).
Lobi is a limited edition. Visit Atelier Fesseler's web site to place your order.
Looking to the future, for each Lobi purchased, 15 EUR will be donated to the school founded by INTERHOLCO in the village of Ngombé Carrefour in the Republic of Congo. In 2019, this school enabled 140 children from indigenous tribes, including 88 boys and 52 girls aged 6 and over, to learn to read and write and to follow courses adapted to the specificities of their culture. The school is supported by UNICEF (school supplies and teachers' salaries) and the United Nations World Food Programme (food for the school canteen). The school is regularly visited by auditors who verify compliance with FSC standards on site once a year.
*Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC® C022952).
INTERHOLCO offers Sustainable Hardwood 'Made in Africa' as a responsible solution to promote better living conditions (construction with wood), reduce climate change, and increase social justice. As FSC-certified producer specialized in producing and trading logs, sawn timber, glued laminated scantlings and other products, INTERHOLCO manages the entire chain, from forest to customers since 1962. Harvesting wood selectively, INTERHOLCO protects 1.1 million hectares of natural forest from permanent conversion to agricultural land, giving 16’000 local inhabitants access to quality basic services and keeping the habitat of thousands of gorillas and elephants.
Communications contact INTERHOLCO
Tullia Baldassarri Höger von Högersthal
INTERHOLCO AG, Neuhofstr. 25, 6340 Baar, Switzerland
Tel.: +41 (0)41 767 03 82
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.