Textiles are not always the first thing people notice in a piece of furniture.
For Northern, the fabrics that wrap our chairs and sofas play a quiet but essential role, and many of them are born in a small valley on the west coast of Norway.
Innvik, our long-standing textile partner, weaves the high-quality materials that give our furniture its character. So, we travelled into Innvikfjorden to visit their factory, see the process up close, and meet the people behind the craftsmanship.
Innvik’s location still feels like something out of a Norwegian industry tale: mountains rising steeply on both sides, the fjord stretching like a mirror below, and a family run textile mill that has operated for more than 130 years. Inside, the atmosphere is part tradition, part technology. The walls are lined with spools of wool, machines humming steadily, and teams of experienced weavers moving with great precision.
Among them is Tone Barnung, one of Innvik’s most seasoned designers and product developers. Her path into textiles began early. “I’ve always been interested in design and weaving,” she told us. After textile studies in Scotland and work at another Norwegian mill, she joined Innvik, where she has now spent 32 years. “I work hands-on, from fiber to finished textile. Close dialogue with both the customer and the production team is essential.”
Tone’s workflow blends creativity with deep technical understanding. Being physically present at the factory allows her to manage multiple projects at once and follow each product through its many stages. “I weave all prototypes myself,” she explains. “That way I have full control over design, quality, and production method from an early stage.
Nature is often her inspiration. Take Brusvik, one of her well-known textiles, developed in 2016, and the first textile ever on a Northern furniture. “I played with the idea of rushing rivers, the colours reflecting in the moving water as it shifts from place to place.” The result is a fabric that feels both understated and richly textured. It also has what Tone considers the most important quality: versatility. “It is suitable for many settings. Combined with high durability, it becomes a safe and easy choice.”
Innvik’s commitment to quality and craftsmanship is matched by its focus on sustainable production. They dye, weave, and refine everything in-house, working mainly with natural fibers like wool, linen, and viscose. More than 50 people keep the production running. A human factor that Tone believes will remain crucial, even as technology evolves. “Things always change, and we must keep up. New sustainability and efficiency demands push us. But the human factor is still extremely important.”
For Northern, visiting Innvik is always a reminder that the textiles covering our furniture are not just materials. They are stories of skill, tradition, and collaboration. Hidden deep in the fjord is a mill that helps define Northern’s design language, thread by thread.
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