At Salone del Mobile, we sat down with the founders of YAAZ to discuss the brand’s journey, achievements, and new products, including the recently awarded Uz table.
In the heart of Turkey lies a vision that is reshaping the landscape of outdoor furniture. Founded three years ago, YAAZ has swiftly emerged as a beacon of excellence, driven by a singular ambition: to rank among the top ten outdoor furniture brands worldwide.
This aspiration is not mere rhetoric but grounded in concrete achievements. Nestled within a sprawling 50,000m² factory, the largest of its kind in Turkey and possibly all of Europe, YAAZ operates on a principle of self-sufficiency unparalleled in the industry. The factory, a testament to its commitment to sustainability, generates its own electricity, powered primarily by rooftop solar panels. Every aspect of manufacturing, from sourcing materials to crafting the final product, is meticulously overseen in-house, without any outsourcing.
This self-reliant approach isn’t just about sustainability; it’s about efficiency and innovation. By controlling every element of the production process, YAAZ can accelerate its design-to-market timeline, exemplified by the astounding pace at which it launches new collections. During this year’s Salone del Mobile in Milan, YAAZ unveiled several new collections, a feat made possible by a process that began just last June.
Details on the New Collections by YAAZ
Since its inception in 2019, Turkish brand YAAZ has continually pushed the boundaries of outdoor living, blending Italian design finesse with Turkish craftsmanship as Italian designers Silvana Angeletti and Daniele Ruzza have been the brand’s Art Directors since the early days. After earning accolades such as the IF DESIGN AWARD in 2023 for the Uz table, YAAZ now adds another feather to its cap with the prestigious GERMAN DESIGN AWARD 2024.
Among the standout creations are the enchanting HAYAL swings, embodying a poetic narrative that transcends cultural boundaries. Crafted from solid aluminum and adorned with delicate tassels, these swings evoke a sense of nostalgia while inviting users to immerse themselves in a dreamy and liberating dimension. Another notable addition is the DENK collection, characterized by its generous volumes and exquisite woven craftsmanship. Crafted from teak wood and enriched with a range of Sunbrella fabrics, DENK seamlessly integrates into various architectural and residential settings, offering comfort and style. Complementing these offerings is the MONTE chair, a practical yet sophisticated seating solution inspired by nature. With its stackable design and earthy color palette, MONTE embodies the essence of outdoor relaxation, inviting users to embrace a slow and tranquil lifestyle.
Building upon the success of the UZ family, YAAZ introduces the UZ LOUNGE armchair, offering enhanced comfort and spaciousness for casual relaxation. With its headrest cushion and harmonious color symphonies, UZ LOUNGE recreates the ambiance of a colonial patio, evoking nostalgia and distant cultures. From centerpiece plates to oil lanterns, each masterpiece embodies the centuries-old Anatolian savoir-faire, showcasing intricate bronze figures and exquisite ceramics that harmonize perfectly with YAAZ’s aesthetic vision.
Q&A: Behind the Fastest Growing Outdoor Furniture Brand
Amidst the bustling ambiance of Salone del Mobile, we had the privilege to sit down with CEO Gizem Suviren and Co-founder Onur Mahir Serpin. Against the backdrop of their latest collections unveiled at the event, we delved into the brand’s remarkable journey, its achievements, and the unveiling of its newest products. YAAZ relies greatly on the experience gained by its founders having begun manufacturing indoor and outdoor furniture over 25 years ago. Today, and through the young brand YAAZ, the founders focus their attention on outdoor furniture.
ArchiExpo e-Magazine: Can you tell us about the brand’s history?
Gizem Suviren: We established YAAZ three years ago as a dedicated outdoor furniture brand, aiming to tap into global markets and elevate our brand value. With 25 years of experience in furniture production, we transitioned from indoor to outdoor focus.
Onur Mahir Serpin: Our journey began with humble beginnings of buying and selling furniture, evolving into a comprehensive production facility spanning 50,000 square meters. Sustainability is at our core, with self-generated energy and tree-planting initiatives. Leveraging cutting-edge technology, we produce everything in-house, ensuring quality and efficiency. Our recent recognition, including the German Design Award for our Uz table, underscores our commitment to excellence. Collaborations with international designers enrich our product offerings. Participating in events like Salone del Mobile allows us to showcase our brand and unveil new collections. Despite being a young brand, we’re proud to present five new collections this year, reflecting our rapid growth and dedication to innovation.
ArchiExpo e-Magazine: Why did you decide to focus entirely on outdoor furniture? Is there a bigger market for outdoor furniture?
Onur Mahir Serpin: It has nothing to do with the market being good or us growing up. It’s more about everyone’s desire to live outdoors since the pandemic. We were already producing indoor and outdoor when Adasan was our brand. But we wanted to focus on outdoor furniture to achieve success as one of the top 10 outdoor brands in Europe and the world in the next 5 years.
Gizem Suviren: It’s also about our personal feelings. Yes, we wanted to simplify our lives after the pandemic. Our old brand had 3,000-4,000 different products. We wanted to minimize the product range so the quality would reflect our expertise, as our team would spend more time manufacturing fewer pieces, rendering the makers masters in producing them.
Onur Mahir Serpin: Still, we have an enormous production capacity.
ArchiExpo e-Magazine: Can you give us more details about the factory and the technology used?
Onur Mahir Serpin: Regarding the various stages of production for products by YAAZ, we make everying in factory. Most of our competitors, especially in Europe, do not produce wood, leather, or fabric elements for their products. They always collect parts from external sources. For our brand, materials enter the factory as raw materials and leave the factory as finished products. And all the production processes, all the manufacturing processes are realized internally. And you arrive at the final product.
Onur Mahir Serpin: The second thing is to be able to manufacture, use these raw materials using cutting-edge technology. For wood, we use CNC machines like the ones used by Italian brands, 3-axis, 5-axis, 7-axis, we do all the processing in these machines, if we’re talking about wood. In the same way, in aluminum and stainless steel, we employ robotics, robotic cutting, bending, processing, CNC machines, laser cutting. We don’t have a lot of technology that we can use related to rope. We use rope knitting entirely by hand. 100% by hand. By the way, while we’re using these technologies, while we’re building a factory like this, we’re also paying attention to green harmony and carbon footprint. We produce our own energy.
YAAZ remains at the forefront of outdoor living, constantly pushing boundaries with innovative designs, unwavering dedication to craftsmanship, and strategic collaborations. As the brand expands its influence and receives acclaim for its outstanding work, it solidifies its status as a trailblazer in crafting experiential environments that seamlessly fuse elegance, sustainability, and a profound connection to nature.
