Posted on 7/13/2018
In a typical conversation about Europe’s most design-forward countries, Poland doesn’t exactly leap off the tongue. However, this former member of the Eastern Bloc is quietly hard at work smashing a dated preconception—with far-reaching results.
As the third largest European exporter of furniture, Poland clocked in 10.2 billion euros in 2014, behind Germany (15.6 billion) and Italy (12.4 billion). Yet, until recently, while Germany and Italy drew from domestic sources for design talent, Poland merely provided factories and cheap labor.
Partially to blame is Poland’s difficult history, which had a resoundingly...