What molo design does

Molo Design, Ltd. is a Vancouver-based, founder-owned design and production studio operating since 2003. Founded by architects Stephanie Forsythe and Todd MacAllen, the company invented the "soft collection" — a line of flexible space partitions, furniture, and lighting built around an expandable honeycomb geometry that compresses flat for shipping and expands up to 15 feet when deployed, making products 99% air when fully open. Core products include paper and textile softwalls, modular softblocks, softseating stools/benches/tables, cantilever tables, cloud and urchin softlight luminaires, suspended luminous partitions, and a float glassware line, all of which connect magnetically for modular configurations and ship with internationally certified fire ratings (M1 France, B1 Germany, Class A USA, NFPA 701, ASTM E84 China, JIS A1304 Japan), FSC, CE, RoHS, and ETL/UL/CSA approvals.

Molo sells directly through its own e-commerce storefront (molodesign.com) and via a Vancouver-based enterprise sales team handling bespoke projects, quote-based customizations, and large-volume orders. The company also operates a regional dealer network (e.g., Slide Productions in Australia) and reaches enterprise clients through trade shows such as ICFF and ORGATEC. Products are priced at the mid-to-high end (e.g., urchin softlight from $325, textile softblock $780, textile softwall $2,550), with duties and import charges included for US and Canada shipments, and bespoke projects priced on quote. Revenue is generated from one-time product sales, made-to-order customizations, and bespoke design services.

The company serves four primary customer segments: interior designers and architects (exhibitions, retail displays, stage/set design, pop-ups), corporate and enterprise clients seeking sustainable workspace solutions (with named users including Google, Apple, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Fiat, Roche Bobois, and TED), event and exhibition companies, and individual residential consumers. Client logos span technology, luxury retail, automotive, biotechnology, hospitality, and cultural-institution sectors, and softwall and softseating have been acquired by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) for its permanent collection. The company has built an extensive patent portfolio across the US, Canada, Europe, China, Japan, and Australia, with no external funding rounds, no parent company, and no disclosed mergers or acquisitions, operating as an independent, founder-controlled private limited company incorporated in British Columbia.

Name

molo design

Legal name

Molo Design, Ltd.

Website

https://molodesign.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

molo design is a Vancouver-based, founder-owned design studio that invents and produces flexible honeycomb-structured paper and textile partitions, furniture, and lighting for interior designers, architects, corporate clients, and event/exhibition companies worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural & Interior Design Products

NAICS

Showcase, Partition, Shelving, and Locker Manufacturing (337215)

SIC

Partitions, Shelvg, Lockers, & Office & Store Fixtures (2540), Miscellaneous Furniture & Fixtures (2590)

akta.pro primary industry

Flexible Paper Packaging & Wraps (kraft wrap, pouches, laminations) (IMAMAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Flexible Plastic Packaging (Bags, Pouches, Sachets) Manufacturing (IMANAEAC)

Keywords

• Flexible space partitions
• Paper furniture design
• Modular room dividers
• Architectural lighting
• Honeycomb material structures

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: One-time purchase of physical products including space partitions (softwall, softblock), furniture (softseating, benchwall, cantilever table), lighting (cloud softlight, urchin softlight, cloud mast), glassware (float collection), and accessories. Products are sold directly through e-commerce and enterprise sales with duties and import charges included for US and Canada shipments.
2. Custom/Bespoke Products: Made-to-order customizations including custom heights, colors, scallop-cut designs, notches, custom lengths, and gilded finishes. Contact sales for project-specific pricing.
3. Bespoke Design Services: Customization workshop services for projects requiring made-to-order items, modifications, or project-specific designs. Contact [email protected] for details.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

molo designs, manufactures, and sells flexible, expandable honeycomb-structured products in paper and textile including space partitions (softwall, softblock), paper lighting (urchin softlight, cloud softlight), folding furniture (softseating, cantilever table), and glassware (float collection). Products flat-pack for compact shipping, expand up to 15 feet when deployed, use FSC-certified materials, and feature magnetic connection systems for modular configurations. Custom-made/bespoke orders and trade show/event installations are also offered.

Product overview

molo is a design and production studio balancing between design, art, and architecture, best known for inventing a flexible system of paper walls, building blocks, furniture, and lighting. The product portfolio centers on the 'soft collection' featuring expandable honeycomb-structured products made primarily from paper or polyethylene textile, including: space partitions (paper softwall, textile softwall, sloped softwall, aluminum textile softwall, textile softblock, paper softblock, aluminum textile softblock, custom colour softwall, suspended luminaires, benchwall, thinwall); paper lighting (urchin softlight, cloud softlight pendant/mobile, cloud mast, cappello); folding furniture (softseating stools/benches/tables, softseating lounger, cantilever table); glassware (float teaware, coffeeware, barware, candlelight); and accessories (felt handles, anchor strips, felt pads, glass vases, wall hooks). Products are 99% air when deployed, flat-pack for shipping, use FSC-certified materials, and connect magnetically for modular configurations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Paper softwall A flexible, freestanding folding wall partition made from paper that expands up to 15 feet (4.5 meters) long, featuring honeycomb geometry for compressible storage and magnetic end panels for modular connections. Designed for interior designers, architects, and event/exhibition professionals.
• Textile softwall A flexible, freestanding folding wall partition made from translucent white polyethylene textile that expands to 15 feet (4.5 meters), with optional LED integration and magnetic connection system for modular configurations. Priced at $2,550 USD.
• Sloped softwall A flexible freestanding partition with a sloped design for angled space division and sculptural installations.
• Aluminum textile softwall A flexible freestanding partition made from aluminum-coated textile material, creating a lively range of reflected light and shadow across its pleated surface.
• Textile softblock Modular acoustic room dividers made from flexible textile that stretch to 15 feet (4.5 meters), can be stacked, and connect magnetically to create tall, richly textured space partitions or backdrops. Priced at $780 USD.
• Paper softblock Modular acoustic room dividers made from paper material, part of the soft collection with honeycomb geometry for flexible space shaping.
• Aluminum textile softblock Modular acoustic room divider made from aluminum-coated textile, offering metallic light reflection properties with the flexibility of the softblock system.
• Custom colour textile softwall Textile softwall available in any custom colour from sunshine yellow to midnight blue, with translucent properties for yellow shades and opaque privacy screening for other colours.
• Suspended softwall + softblock luminaires Luminous hanging partitions combining softwall or softblock elements with integrated lighting for suspended, glowing space dividers.
• Benchwall A flexible acoustic room divider and high-backed seating element that combines space partition functionality with built-in seating.
• Thinwall An acoustic wall liner and cabinet enclosure system for interior wall applications.
• Urchin softlight A shape-shifting lamp made from flexible honeycomb polyethylene textile that expands and morphs into myriad forms, creating biomorphic lighting with 95+ CRI LEDs available in neutral white (4000K), warm white (3000K), and warmer white (2700K) colour temperatures. Small version priced at $325 USD.
• Cloud softlight pendant Pendant luminaires made from translucent white polyethylene textile honeycomb, creating cloud-like suspended lighting with ETL/UL/CSA certification for North America and CE/RoHS for Europe.
• Cloud softlight mobile Mobile luminaires featuring cloud-like forms made from flexible honeycomb textile, designed for suspended or freestanding placement.
• Cloud mast A floor-supported luminaire creating functional light sculpture, designed to illuminate spaces from floor level.
• Cappello A table lamp design, part of molo's paper lighting collection.
• Softseating Folding paper stools, benches, and tables that fan open from a compact flat-pack, using honeycomb geometry for flexibility and magnetic connections for modular arrangements. Acquired by MoMA for its permanent collection.
• Softseating lounger A folding paper lounger that compresses flat for storage and expands into a lounge seating position.
• Cantilever table A table with a folding base that compresses for storage, paired with circular PaperStone tops in various sizes and colours.
• Gilded paper softwall + softseating (limited edition) Limited run of paper softwall and softseating stools with 24-karat gold leaf applied to paper edges through a centuries-old gilding process, inspired by illuminated manuscripts.
• Float collection (glassware) Heat-resistant glassware collection including teaware, coffeeware, barware, and candlelight items.
• Bespoke design and customization services Made-to-order customizations including custom heights, colours, scallop-cut designs, notches, custom lengths, and gilded finishes for commercial, exhibition, and architectural projects; clients contact [email protected] for project-specific pricing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products are 99% air when fully deployed, dramatically reducing material usage
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered notable, regional, core and minor.

• City of Aomori, JapannotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Forsythe + MacAllen worked with the city of Aomori from competition through construction to develop the Aomori Nebuta House museum, completed in 2011. The building is dedicated to preserving the Nebuta festival heritage and includes molo founders' architectural design.
• Ingo MaurernotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Collaborative design project at Spazio Krizia in Milan (2008) where molo softwall and softblock were specially cut with trimming shears to expose the combination of strength and delicacy in the flexible honeycomb structure, creating artistic installations.
• Slide Productions (Australia)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial molo dealer in Australia, providing local sales, distribution, and support for molo products including LED lighting installations on white textile softwall as shown in project examples.
• Gmund (paper manufacturer)coreTechnology or IntegrationExpanding partnership for paper materials supply. Gmund is a specialty paper manufacturer that produces high-quality papers for molo's product line, supporting the company's commitment to FSC-certified, responsible materials.
• Google PorticonotableOthersMolo paper and textile softwall + softblock products are welcomed into Google Portico's catalogue of healthy building materials, identifying molo products as sustainable options for Google workplace design.
• Monika Bravo (artist)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist collaboration featuring animated projections on white textile softwall at Spazio Krizia and other venues, creating artistic installations combining molo products with digital art.
• Miguel Chevalier (artist)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital art collaboration featuring Fractal Flowers projection on molo softwall products, integrating technology and art with molo's flexible space solutions.
• Slide ProductionsregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRGB LED lighting installations on white textile softwall demonstrating product capabilities for events and exhibitions in the Australian market.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Vitra: Swiss family-owned design company producing design-led furniture, lighting, and space systems through collaborations with leading designers. Directly comparable as a founder-driven, design-IP-centric business that translates sculptural furniture and spatial concepts into globally specified commercial products.
• BuzziSpace: Belgian maker of acoustic room dividers, wall solutions, and modular furniture targeting offices, hospitality, and education. Most direct peer in product category — flexible, design-forward space partitions with acoustic performance sold into the same commercial specifier channel.
• Offecct: Swedish design furniture brand owned by Flokk focused on acoustic, sustainable, and modular furniture and partitions. Comparable in combining sculptural Scandinavian design with acoustic space-dividing products sold to architects and commercial clients.
• Hay: Danish contemporary design brand offering furniture, lighting, and accessories for residential and contract markets. Comparable as a design-forward Scandinavian peer with global DTC and dealer distribution and a strong brand narrative aimed at architects and design-conscious end users.
• Kartell: Italian design furniture and accessories maker known for patented industrial plastic/flexible materials (e.g., polycarbonate, flexible textiles). Comparable as an IP-rich, design-led manufacturer translating novel flexible materials into furniture and lighting sold globally through premium retail and contract channels.
• Foscarini: Italian decorative lighting manufacturer that collaborates with leading designers on sculptural lamps and integrates materials like blown glass, fabric, and textiles. Comparable in translating material-and-design innovation into premium lighting products distributed globally through design channels.
• USM: Swiss maker of modular, reconfigurable furniture and storage systems sold into residential, office, and retail interiors worldwide. Comparable as a design-led, modular-systems brand whose reconfigurable architecture is sold into the same architect/specifier channel as molo's flexible partitions.

Broad incumbents

• Knoll: U.S. heritage premium office-furniture and space-planning brand with a strong design pedigree (Knoll Design Days, museum partnerships). Comparable as a design-led specification brand in the high-end contract furniture market, but operates at much larger scale and broader category scope.
• Steelcase: Largest U.S. office furniture manufacturer with broad portfolio of partitions, seating, and architectural solutions targeted at enterprise workplaces. Overlaps with molo in flexible space-partitioning use cases (flexible workspace, acoustic treatment) but competes at a vastly larger scale and broader category.
• Artemide: Italian high-end architectural and decorative lighting manufacturer with strong designer collaborations and global specification presence. Comparable in the lighting category — particularly for premium commercial interiors where sculptural, design-led fixtures are specified.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@studio_molo
• Instagraminstagram.com/studio_molo
• Pinterestpinterest.com/molostudio
• Xx.com/molostudio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/molo-canada

Compliance21 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about molo design