Steelcut Trio upholstery fabric by Kvadrat

Steelcut Trio is based on Steelcut, introduced in 2004. The fabric is made from the same wool and special weave as Steelcut and designed by the same duo, Dutch weaver Frans Dijkmeijer and Italian colour virtuoso Giulio Ridolfo. The difference lies in the colouring of the fabric. While Steelcut is piece-dyed in subdued, neutral shades, Steelcut Trio is yarn-dyed and consists of three different colours of yarn in strong, clear hues. This construction enhances the three- dimensional effect of the textile, giving the fabric life and depth. The tricolour construction also makes the colours seem to change depending on the angle of perspective. Frans Dijkmeijer is famed for his ability to create textiles that exude simplicity and elegance despite the high technical complexity of their weave. Like its predecessor, Steelcut Trio has a special weave designed to engender a three-dimensional surface resembling small pyramids or steel points.

Frans Dijkmeijer calls the making of Steelcut “a coincidence”: “I was working on a design with vertical stripes, but wasn’t satisfied with the result. However, I left my rough design on the loom, and as I continued working with it, I abandoned my original idea and ended up with Steelcut.”

Giulio Ridolfo created the colours for both Steelcut and Steelcut Trio. Working in the clothing and interior decorating industry, this versatile designer has brought his innovative colour ideas to Kvadrat. The renowned designer works with companies such as Moroso, Vitra and Fritz Hansen and has previously designed clothes for Gianfranco Ferré and headed the shoe brand Tod’s. Giulio Ridolfo has a unique approach to colouring. Instead of working with a traditional colour palette, Ridolfo mixes colours based on an idea or a choice. Departing from the subdued non-colours of Steelcut, in Steelcut Trio Ridolfo has alternated between neutral shades and strong, clear colours, including green, turquoise, pink and orange. “I focused on creating “light” in each colourway and combined clear, bright colours with heavier shades and light pastels. This triad makes it difficult to discern one particular colour when you look at Steelcut Trio,” explains Giulio Ridolfo. Steelcut Trio is a dynamic supplement to Steelcut, and the two textiles can be combined, for example, with solid colour on the seat and tricolour on the back of a chair.

90% new wool, 10% nylon
25 colourways
140 cm wide