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Lof founder Sophie Poelman on the function and wellness of wool

From her studio on Waiheke Island, the designer is ready to embrace a new challenge.

Sophie Poelman is here to revive New Zealand’s wool industry, in ways you may not expect. Since returning home after years of working as a functional apparel designer for mountain sports, she found a gap in the market in the homewares space, as well as a need to add value to the material. 

Alongside her husband Alain Brideson, Sophie has launched Lof, a Waiheke Island-based design studio that works closely with farmers to push the possibilities of wool’s utility. “People are at the heart of what we do, and that starts with the incredible people who grow the wool.”

Lof’s debut product, the Wool Hoop, is a knitted pendant light, which, in retrospect, is exactly what the couple were after when they recently renovated their house. But this is just the tip of the iceberg for Lof. We can’t wait to see what they do next. 

Tell us about yourself. Have you always worked in the design industry?

I’ve been in the industry for a long time, but my background is as a functional apparel designer for mountain sports. I trained in Textile Design at Massey University in Wellington and have worked for several high-performance apparel brands over the years including O’Neill, Macpac and Italian mountaineering brand Salewa. Having designed products that work in the most extreme conditions, I’ve specialised in using the latest textile technology.

Outside of work, I live on Waiheke Island with my husband Alain, and our two children Inez (6) and Julian (3). I love connecting with the design and cycling communities and enjoying the beaches and lifestyle we have here on the motu. I try to counteract my busy days with cold plunges in the ocean, saunas, and knitting too many vests.

Working alongside your partner Alain Brideson, how do you divvy up the responsibility? Why does this work so well?

Working with Alain is a partnership in every sense of the word.

Alain has a very different skill set to me. We are both creative designers but naturally gravitate to different areas of the business. Our backgrounds are similar, but the skills we each bring couldn’t be more different and that made for the perfect union when it came to Lof. He designs incredibly complex vehicles through his own design practice, and he brings that purity of design and function to this project too.

Alain is a very technically-minded industrial designer, with the heart of an artist – a details person who’s obsessed with how things work. As an industrial product designer, specialising in transportation, he brings elements to Lof that I would never be able to do without him. He looks after all the ‘hard materials’, designing the wooden and metal components, as well as managing certification, testing and our IP.

I am much more of a big-picture thinker, and love connecting unlikely dots. I am responsible for the “soft” materials side of the business, designing everything to do with wool, and connecting the wool value chain. I also look after the overall business strategy and brand direction and lead our team of people who make it all possible.

We really needed each other for this project, and it couldn’t have existed without the union of our unique skill sets. Somehow, we make it work alongside the business of sharing a full-on family life too.

You have launched your brand with a premium woollen lighting range – the Wool Hoop Pendant Light – a fabrication rarely seen in contemporary homes. Why did you decide on this rather untraditional product to introduce your brand to the world?

To us, based on the function of wool, it just seemed like such an obvious choice, that we were surprised no one really had done it yet.

Wool is a high-performance material that makes complete sense to use in a light shade – and it has exceptional light-diffusing properties.  We also knew that wool was an excellent sound absorber (reducing noise by up to 55%) and that was key to creating a more relaxing environment. When compared to synthetic acoustic-dampening products, wool comes out on top because it’s fully biodegradable, breaking down in months rather than centuries.

We had some personal experience designing and fitting out the interior of a commercial office space for co-working, and had huge issues with the acoustics due to all the hard surfaces. We tried everything to soften the sound, applying acoustic dampening products to the wall, woollen carpets on the floor, and the use of soft furnishings. We found a lot of the options on the market to solve this were synthetic, and “generic office space” looking, with no character or vibe, which didn’t suit our style. Through this process, we learnt that the ceiling is another very important space to work with for dampening acoustics. So we knew from our own experience that an acoustic dampening pendant that created a homely vibe was needed in the market.  

Based on the function of wool, it just seemed like such an obvious choice. We were surprised no one really had done it yet.

Sophie Poelman

Wool is of course the go-to fibre for winter knits, rugs, throws, and anything else we can cuddle up in. What are the benefits of using work in homewares, such as lighting?

Wool softens hard architectural surfaces to make a house a home, and creates a cosy and welcoming vibe in any space. Wool is this magical material that actually could be considered a ‘wellness’ material – it can improve the health of your home, and replace our reliance on plastic at the same time – a real win-win in our book. Soft furnishings are so important when finishing off a space, and the ceiling is another surface where you can apply soft furnishings, and that’s why we love our soft pendant lighting products. 

When we were renovating our house, we struggled to find well-designed, vibey lighting that added to the cosiness of our house. We have now designed exactly the kind of light we were looking for back then! Just like when you place the perfect rug under a coffee table, a good pendant light is another piece of the puzzle that completes the space. 

    Sustainability really is at the heart of Lof and you have incredible relationships with the farmers who provide your wool. Why was this important to you and your brand?

    He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata.

    I’m deeply driven by a sense of fairness and the importance of strong relationships in business. I work hard to maintain good relationships with all of our suppliers and strive for the highest integrity in every aspect of the business. I spend so much of my time working, that why not make it an enjoyable experience where you work with good people and make wonderful connections?

    People are at the heart of what we do, and that starts with the incredible people who grow the wool. We saw the New Zealand wool system as a broken model, so we set out to create a business that disrupts this. The current model (whereby the price of wool doesn’t even cover the cost of shearing the sheep) just didn’t feel right to me and actually felt exploitative. I just trusted what felt right and fair —from one human to another —and then applied those values to the business.

    Creating a partnership with Palliser Ridge Farm first started with building a relationship and understanding each other to come to a mutually beneficial agreement. We help each other and it’s evolved into a lovely symbiotic relationship. I look forward to my Zoom catch-ups with a cuppa tea with Lisa (Portas, Palliser Ridge expansion manager)!

      Are there any surprising lessons you’ve learned as a founder in your journey so far?

      I’ve learnt that I can’t be an expert at everything. While I’ve grown immensely as a founder, I’ve realised the importance of finding the smartest and best people in their respective fields and outsourcing where needed. I trust my gut and work with the best talent I can find. This has been the best decision and strategy for me, allowing me to focus on what I do best.

        Tell us about your partnerships with Campaign for Wool and Mindful Fashion NZ. Why were these alignments important to you?

        Mindful Fashion NZ has been an incredibly valuable network for me, and I’ve been a member for many years. Supporting this kaupapa is crucial, as it fosters collaboration with like-minded textile professionals who share a vision for a cleaner, more sustainable future. The collective is made up of some of New Zealand’s leading brands and manufacturers, all working together to create a better future for our local textile industry while addressing significant environmental challenges. The conventional textile business model can often be harmful to the environment, but Mindful Fashion NZ envisions a cleaner, more ethical way forward. Their work is particularly important for preserving our local manufacturing capabilities, which are at risk of fading away—something that would be a great loss to the country’s GDP and to the predominantly female workforce it employs.

        As a Brand Partner with Campaign for Wool, my focus is on the wool industry. This partnership is really important to me because Campaign for Wool is dedicated to promoting and educating people about the unique benefits of wool. Their efforts to raise the profile of wool and collaborate with brands like mine have been instrumental in elevating how people perceive this natural and sustainable resource. Their mission aligns perfectly with my own goals, and I’m proud to be part of the movement to champion wool and its potential for a better future.

        What can we expect to see next from Lof?

          This first product is just the beginning— the tip of the iceberg. We’ve invested a lot in R&D, and we’ll continue developing these concepts further. Lighting remains a fascinating category for us, and we’re excited to push those boundaries even more. But we’re also exploring other product ideas. As a slow design company, we believe that good ideas take time to fully realise, so while we’ll continue refining and developing, we’ll share more when the concepts are truly ready.

          How can people support your mahi?

          Come along for the journey! Visit lof.nz or follow us on Instagram @lof.nz.

          I know that everyone is at a different stage in their journey toward sustainable consumption, and I encourage people to think carefully about the supply chain—where does it come from, and who made it? The materials you choose when purchasing textiles or home products matter.

          Also, vote with your dollar—your purchase from a small independent retailer or brand can make a huge impact in this world.

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