Welcome to Alstad Goods
Alstad Goods is a multi national luxury brand founded on the principles of Scandinavian design. It is our mission to enrich the lifestyles of our customers by designing for their wants and their needs. Our obsession for quality translates to lower quantities but the fine detail achieved is ultimately what separates us from the competition.
Alstad™ is specifically tailored to the individual that has the ability to look beyond the obvious and notice the fine detail of genuine craftsmanship and clever design solutions.
The Team
The core team at Alstad™ is a duo consisting of Mika Becktor and Tom Hayes. Mika Becktor is a second-generation leather craftsman, Swede and Industrial Designer with a passion for deconstructing and simplifying design. Tom Hayes is a Graphic Designer from the UK with a minimal utilitarian design aesthetic, influenced by British Heritage.
Inspiration
The inspiration behind Alstad™ is a combination of love for design and creating things with purpose, things you can touch and that have the potential to last a life-time. After acquiring a bachelor and master degree in Industrial design Mika was inspired to combine this knowledge with the craftsmen skills he learned from his father as a child. Seeing product ideas come to life and seeing those products years later, looking better that they did when they were first made, that’s what drives us.
Design
Every new Alstad™ design is an attempt of creating more with less. Every detail has a purpose. Decoration for the sake of decoration is avoided at all cost because it is our belief that it’s easy to design complicated things. To improve a product that’s been around for hundreds of years while simplifying it and making it more durable yet easier to make, that’s a challenge. Our workshop is full of half finished prototypes, piles of sketches, leather swatches and new ideas waiting to see the light of day. Some will get there while others just aren’t good enough. “You are only as good as your worst”
Materials
Alstad™ products are made from the best materials available. We source leather from various tanneries based on their specialties, we use stainless steel whenever we can for its strength and durability. Wood is something we’d love to incorporate into our collection eventually. Concrete is another element you will see more of moving forward. The common theme here is solid materials that have a strong presence, are durable and last a lifetime.
Patina
Society has taught us to spend less, often. Instead of investing in something that lasts, we buy cheap and shiny. When the shine wears off we throw it out and buy a new one. To compete companies use cheaper materials to cut costs and lower prices. It’s all a downward spiral, which results in more money spent and more trash in our landfills. Our goal as a company is to provide a better alternative, products that are timeless and that are built to last.