• Matthew reimagines traditional upholstery in a contemporary way
• He is inspired by natural fibres and meticulous handwork
• His work aims to bring value and appreciation to a historic craft

As a student of ornithology, the scientific study of birds, Matthew Nafranowicz was kept busy with fieldwork during the summer months. To fill his winters, he took a job at a local upholstery shop, where a source of income gradually became a passion. Matthew pursued formal training and apprenticed at Atelier Seigneur in Paris. He discovered that tradition and history within the craft still existed and mattered. In 2002, Matthew returned to Madison in Wisconsin to establish his workshop, The Straight Thread, working alongside a team to bring his concepts to life. "Making things that are comfortable and marketable is important, but I am more interested in finding new ways to make historical techniques relevant in today’s design space,” he says.