Process + Materials
At Milder Office, we have spent years working in collaboration with stakeholders and architects to create work and learning spaces that are flexible, functional and welcoming. As designers, we question how a space works and is experienced by its users, and can help you specify the furniture that will best support your needs.
Our Process Working jointly with you and/or your architect, Milder Office can provide design and production solutions for a wide variety of needs: from office or studio, library, classroom or dorm, to retail environments or showroom.
Milder Office offers complete service, including itemized proposals and floor planning, responsible sourcing, project management and logistics.
Everything is made to order. Building on the detailing and material selections [standards] from our standard catalog, we customize the Milder Furniture System in response to actual client needs, space configurations and budget. Working in close collaboration with the project architect or directly with our clients, we routinely provide a number of alternative lay-outs and configurations to develop optimal solutions for your/client’s space and work methods.
Maintain a unified look throughout your space. If you don’t find furniture piece in our catalog that matches your need, give us the specs and we’ll develop and budget a solution using our system’s vernacular. Combining of catalog pieces in standard sizes and configurations with pieces that are specifically designed to fit a particular space or function, creates a consistent look throughout the office, showroom and learning environment.
Benefits of working with Milder Office:
- Fast turn around time, 6-12 week lead depending on the size of your project
- Space planning and fit studies included
- Everything is made to order using digital manufacturing technology (CNC) and designed to be easy to disassemble and reassemble
- Ordering or reordering additional parts at a later date is fast and simple
- We sell direct and can work directly with you if you do not have an architect
- Discounts are available to the trade (i.e. architects; interior designers) for standard products or customized (specifically developed) products.
- Discounts for standard catalog items are available to Independent Reps or Furniture Dealers.
Our Materials
We build furniture to last, using only high-grade pre-finished birch plywood (you will not find MDF in our products) and aluminum tubing. The primary material is a durable birch plywood from Finland that is sustainably farmed, and processed in such a way as to ensure no off gassing of harmful chemicals. It is pre-finished with melanin film in a variety colors, adding vibrancy to the overall palette of the space. We are proud to be LEED compliant. The edges of the plywood are left exposed, sanded smooth and sealed.
Benefits of using film-faced plywood
- Beautiful birch face shows through melanin film
- Hard plys makes this a durable solid wood solution
- Durable hard-wearing decorative colored surface
- Good color stability (6-7 according to DIN 54004)
- Taint and odor-free
- Environmentally friendly product (does not contain any chlorine derivatives)
- Wear resistance: Taber value abt.700 R(decorative surface)
- Suitable for exterior and interior uses
Pre Finished Birch Plywood:
The material requires no lacquering or other ecologically problematic secondary treatments since the finish is applied at the lumber mill. Limited emissions occur only during the closely controlled manufacturing process in the state of the art facilities in Finland. After the plywood leaves the factory the material is free from any off-gassing and its overall emission level is comparable to that of untreated natural wood.
Birch trees are carefully farmed in Finland, where a sound method of reforestation and harvesting of lumber has been developed over the last century. Trees do not come from clear-cutting of large native forests, but from family-owned, well-managed tree farms of continuously regenerated Finnish forests. In the harsh conditions of northern Europe trees have a short growing season. Growth is slow and the annual rings are tight. These natural conditions give rise to exceptionally strong wood of consistently high quality, the ideal raw material for plywood. We use no woods from tropical forests.
Note: Some random variation of color and pattern in the plywood is to be expected due to the natural veneers and unusual characteristics of the surface finish. In addition, research has shown that all finishes are subject to color change, depending on age and exposure to light. These factors should be considered by buyers when comparing samples.
High-Pressure Laminate:
Choose your preferred laminate color and brand Exterior birch plywood from Finland or combi-plywood overlaid with a colored multi-layer coating. Quality assurance according to EN ISO 9001 and environmental management according to EN ISO 14001, certificated by DNV. Plastic laminate made of multiple melamine and phenolic resin impregnated films pressed together under heat and high pressure. Bonded to plywood with elastic two-component glue meeting D4 requirements for exterior applications, EN 204.
Certificates
- EN ISO 9001, EN ISO 14001, SMS 1003-1 (PEFC)