This is Sobu

Items at our shop in Oakland and on our web site marked DESIGN BY SOBU are part of our exclusive collection and designed by us. For these pieces, there are no importers, distributors or wholesalers between us and our customers which means we can offer our designs at lower prices than the big retailers. It also means these designs are exclusive to SOBU and can't be found anywhere else. Our goal is to take the mass production and impersonal feel out of the very personal experience of purchasing items for your home.We want you to receive a beautiful and unique product that has two designers and a handful of talented craftspeople behind it. SOBU doesn't have a CEO, CFO, CTO or endless cubicles of employees. We have no employee handbook and we don't believe in mind-splittingly boring meetings. We are two creative people who are enjoying not having 'a boss' and who like to play loud and inspiring music while we work. As well as producing our own line of furniture and showcasing a handful of other vendors' pieces in our showroom, we also include the work of artists and makers from our community and beyond.

CRAFTSMANSHIP AND QUALITY MATERIALS

SOBU believes the world is a miraculous place and we are all so lucky to be here together. As passengers, we share the responsibility of enjoying our time here, as well as passing along our respect for each other and our precious earth to future generations. In every piece of furniture we create, a spirit and character is bestowed that will travel along with it into your home. Each piece is branded with the SOBU spirit as well as a unique marker that identifies it as a handmade product of exclusive and limited lineage.

SOBU aims to fuse innovation, quality, and aesthetics in all of its designs. We design heirloom-quality furniture constructed with plantation grown, FSC certified lumber, reclaimed woods and natural fabrics...designs meant to be cherished for years and passed down with pride. We only use water-based sealers and apply traditional wax finishes. Each species of wood has it’s own natural character and variation and we prefer not to fill knots or season splits with epoxy or putty so you can see and experience the real materials. SOBU uses fabrics with natural fibers like cotton, linen and wool whenever possible and if we can find recycled aluminum and steel we use it. Packaging is a huge issue in the furniture industry and at SOBU, we strive to minimize and eventually eliminate all non-recyclable materials used in our packaging. If you have kids in the house be sure to let them build some rockets and skyscrapers with our boxes before recycling them.

CHECK OUT OUR DESIGNS →