The Craft A centuries old skill passed down from master teak carvers of Javanese royal courts

IOAN’s version of the chair combines the beauty and durability of Indonesian teak, to the storied skill of Javanese woodworking - a craft that originates from wood carvers employed by Javanese royal courts in the 17th century. The skill of this work is evident in the making of traditional Javanese homes, intricate wood carvings, and mask making; all activities where this ancestral craft were used to evoke harmony between the living and sacred environment.

Today, the Panamericana chair is a seamless international duality that comments on today’s globalized world: An outwardly Pan-American identity, with a Indonesian core.

The Process Made in Indonesia with integrity from 100% certified Plantation Teak

IOAN’s design team wanted to make a timeless yet exciting, functional chair, informed by a variety of heritages. This type of folding chair is found across the Americas, from a tiny one made out of tree branches from El Salvador, or a bulky one made out of tropical hardwood in Belize, to a small version made out of pine, used by gauchos in the Argentinean Pampas to relax and drink mate. The chair’s original designer is unknown.

The Panamericana chair, named after the Panamericana road that spans across the entire American continent, was conceived by IOAN's design team as a hybrid conclusion of all its vernaculars predecessors.

The original less durable wood has been replaced by Plantation Teak to provide a sustainable option for creating this timeless wooden chair. Teak has been used throughout history in shipbuilding and furniture making, and is one of the highest quality timber woods in the world.