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Talking to José Manuel Ferrero about the IKIGAI concept

Design | Sustainability | Inspiration

Talking to José Manuel Ferrero about the IKIGAI concept

DECEMBER 2023 | 5 minutes

"The manufacturing process of IKIGAI has been exciting, co-created with the founder Vicente Berbegal, and together with the whole Actiu team, we have managed to transfer a digital concept to something physical, an element that through touch, visuals, and its sustainable philosophy, makes it authentic".

The Valencian city of Ontinyent, with its textile tradition, has seen the birth and growth of one of Spain's most prestigious national and international designers, the founder of estudi{H}ac, JM Ferrero. A 'design gentleman', as he defines himself, 'discreet, cultured, elegant and immensely imaginative', who transfers his passion for tailoring to his designs.

Ferrero has just collaborated with Actiu in the creation of IKIGAI, a cushion that takes its name from the Japanese concept that refers to the 'reason for being', with which Actiu celebrates Christmas this 2023 by emphasising the importance of making work and life spaces friendly.

You have just created IKIGAI, what are the concepts behind its design and how does Actiu's philosophy inspire it, from aspects such as design, sustainability, industry and territory?

Actiu has put the focus on people and their wellbeing within the workspaces, through an intelligent ergonomic design and also, as an important point for the concept of IKIGAI, it has been designing and producing for more than 50 years in Castalla. Its origin and how it defends its roots and its environment, worrying about maintaining that quality of life both at work and on a personal level, make each person enjoy working there.

The challenge of creating a product that represented Actiu's values, and had that very estudi{H}ac point, has been a very interesting process where I have tried to find something new, something that will not leave anyone indifferent when they receive it, because of its meaning more than its shape. This is where the great story emerges, this initial concept that I have worked on and which, together with the work on proportions, textures and colours, has been the main basis for shaping IKIGAI.

Where does its name come from and why did you choose it? What do you want to convey with it?

Ikigai' is a Japanese concept that has no literal translation, but can be defined as 'the reason for living' or 'the reason for being', that which makes life worth living. When thinking about this project I discovered that it linked very well with Actiu's values and ideals where sustainability and wellbeing are fundamental, and I wanted to pay homage to its roots from a digital point of view. A story that is nourished by the roots that are intertwined with the land of Castalla, where the vineyards have witnessed generations of effort and passion.

A story that is nourished by the roots that are intertwined with the land of Castalla, where the vineyards have witnessed generations of effort and passion. For this, I have interpreted this concept from a digital point of view, where from the pixel I pick up a detail of these fields to turn them into a unique design.

The pixel, a tiny unit of visual information, seemingly insignificant on its own, transforms when put together, forming stunning and meaningful images. Similarly, in vineyards, individual grapes may appear simple, but when combined, they create exquisite wines. The importance of each detail, whether it is a pixel in a design or a grape in a vineyard, and how, when brought together, they create something beautiful and complete.

You talk about processes and how to obtain new shapes, colours and textures as a fundamental part of the textile industry and your work. Patterns, scales and modules that arise from the combination of fashion design, tailoring and industrial design and that give rise to pieces like IKAGAI. How was the manufacturing process?

The manufacturing process of IKIGAI has been exciting, co-created with the founder Vicente Berbegal, and together with the entire Actiu team, we have managed to transfer a digital concept into something physical, an element that through touch, visuals, and its sustainable philosophy, makes it authentic. The graphic design that translates the vineyards into pixels is converted into a textile fabric made specifically to convey the whole concept.

Manufactured with sustainability in mind, the type of production is 3D stitching in which there is no waste, as only what is used is consumed, developed with Jacquard technique, in this case in five colours, which allows the perfect definition of the design.

With 50% polyester and 50% cotton, the yarn used is completely recycled and gives a slightly rough texture, while the colours are a perfect match between the mental image of the vineyards and the digital world.

Both the type of production and the materials chosen reflect the sustainable philosophy that characterises the work of Actiu and estudi{H}ac. How has this sustainability evolved over the last few years? Is it already possible to create completely sustainable designs and processes?

I think that generating sustainable projects is in everyone's hands, both when it comes to conceiving them, studying both the selection of materials that the market offers us, and during the production processes. It is possible to generate projects that pursue sustainability, but it requires the involvement of the entire team that participates in them to achieve this goal, from the briefing and ideation phase of the first concepts, to the sustainable feasibility study.

Much more than a cushion, IKIGAI is a life purpose, a sample of the capacity of design to ask questions and generate reflections. What would you highlight and what do you take away from this work?

IKIGAI has allowed me to continue creating with my personal objective, which is to create while having fun in each project. This is where I never forget and where my favourite literary character created by Jules Verne, the English gentleman Mr. Phileas Fogg, whose creativity and ingenuity allowed him to travel around the world in 80 days, comes into play. The same techniques are still applied today in my design atelier, estudi{H}ac, where we always develop projects while learning and having fun. Solving in a creative way, as Mr. Fogg did during his adventure.