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Passa Ao Futuro presents Sam Baron x Toino Abel

From May 28 til June 1, during Lisbon Design Week, Passa Ao Futuro presents at Depozito the new collection of Toino Abel designed by Sam Baron.

May 28, at DEPOZITO 5h30pm - 7pm: Opening and meeting with the creatives.

Born from a collaborative residency organised and facilitated by Passa Ao Futuro to reimagine soft rush basketry. What began as a homeware collection evolved into a fresh take on the basket itself, blending function, beauty and the timeless rhythm of handmade craft.

At the end of 2023, as part of a European project, Passa Ao Futuro invited Designer Sam Baron to work on a collaborative residency with Toino Abel to rethink new objects based on the technique of soft.rush matting and basketry. The result was a collection of three utilitarian pieces for home. However, during the immersive process of the residency, and considering that the core business of the Toino Abel brand is soft-rush baskets, it was almost inevitable that Baron would also think about contemporary basket models. Thus, in 2024, after the residency was completed, Passa Ao Futuro launched the challenge of bringing these ideas to life. Thus, the CAMPO collection was born.

Sam Baron

Born in France, Sam Baron has a degree in Design from the Fine Arts School of Saint Etienne and a post-graduate degree from the National Decorative Arts School of Paris.

Baron loves to reinterpret traditional methods of construction, raising questions about the utility of today’s material productions. He is an independent designer and consultant for international companies such as Dior Maison, La Redoute, Vista Alegre and the iconic French art de vivre brand Diptyque. He has been a consultant as Design director for Fabrica, for a decade.

In 2009 Baron received the “Grand Prix de la Création de la Ville de Paris” in the design category and in 2010 Philippe Starck selected him as one of the ten important designers of the next decade. 
Sam lives and works between Portugal and France, who has recently knighted him as “chevalier des arts et des lettres”.

Toino Abel

A Fine Arts graduate, Nuno Henriques founded TOINO ABEL in 2010, a workshop that specializes in the unique heritage of Portuguese soft-rush basketry, to preserve this tradition. He introduced innovations that helped local artisans thrive, thus inspiring new producers.

TOINO ABEL started producing in-house, offering dignified working conditions, breaking the piece-rate payment system, and today, thanks to the dedication to excellence, soft-rush basketry flourishes again.

The brand’s emphasis on quality craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail is apparent in every piece, and TOINO ABEL is committed to responsible waste management and ensuring dignified working conditions for its team of dedicated artisans.

Passa Ao Futuro

Passa Ao Futuro is a non-profit association, a research based initiative that designs programs to support the transfer of ancestral tacit knowledge into the future.

Cultivating an interface for the development of ideas, techniques and skills between the historical past and the sustainable future. Facilitating collaboration and innovation between artisans and designers in the production of utilitarian designs on the global and local scales.

Passa ao Futuro’s mission is to innovate, preserve, promote and activate the Portuguese artisan sector through a series of initiatives, utilizing design thinking. Allowing for and supporting a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable, responsible design process, business model and future.