The history of the Swedish wallpaper manufacturer Ulricehamns Tapetfabrik dates back to the middle of the 19th century, when the first wallpaper factories were founded in Sweden. To this day, the company relies on the traditional surface printing process and produces iconic Swedish design wallpapers with a handcrafted feel.
Content:
The brands of Ulricehamns Tapetfabrik
Sustainability at the heart of the process
The company is named after the southwestern Swedish town of Ulricehamns, where the factory produced wallpaper for major Swedish brands for all of Scandinavia and beyond until the 1980s. But then changes began to take place in the industry: While other Swedish wallpaper printers turned to new, time-saving printing processes, Ulricehamns Tapetfabrik remained true to the traditional surface printing process. This led to the factory increasingly losing orders and falling into an economic crisis.
However, with the rise of small, Swedish designer wallpaper labels, it experienced a renaissance. Young designers appreciated the unique quality of the traditional surface printing process and to this day place their production confidently in the hands of Ulricehamns Tapetfabrik. And so today, in new buildings but still with the original printing machines, which are now over a hundred years old, the company produces high-quality wallpapers with great success.
The traditional surface printing technique uses glue-bound inks. A single colour of a pattern is transferred onto the paper or non-woven surface of the wallpaper with a roller that holds the pattern in the form of a wooden, felt, rubber or metal profile. A separate roller is required for each colour of the pattern. Surface printing creates soft transitions between the individual elements of the motif. The slight flowing into each other of the inks is part of the special character of wallpapers produced with this process. In addition, the repeated application of ink by several rollers creates a slightly raised, pleasantly grippy and very classic feel to the wallpaper.
On the wall, the slight irregularity of the paint application provides a vibrancy that newer roller printing processes or digital printing processes cannot match.
These extraordinary properties are also appreciated by well-known Swedish wallpaper designers. The Långelid/von Brömssen label or the designer Lista Bengtsson therefore have their wallpapers produced by Ulricehamns Tapetfabrik. The Littlephant label also uses the company's glue printing machines.
The Långelid/von Brömssen label, founded by designers Daniel Långelid and Emma von Brömsen, is characterised by a wide range of styles. Always present are the Scandinavian design virtues of restraint and timelessness. Even dense leaf patterns fade into the background due to their skilfully Nordic colour schemes. The production by Ulriceham's wallpaper factory ensures that the wallpapers have an extremely high-quality effect in the room.
Gallery: Wallpapers by Långelid/von Brömssen
The Swedish label Littlephant was founded in 2012 by Camilla Lundsten. Her love of Scandinavian design is reflected in the wallpapers. The subtle shades of the patterns unfold their very natural effect in the room thanks to the surface printing process.
Gallery: Wallpapers by Littlephant
All wallpapers of the Swedish label Studio Lisa Bengtsson are designed by Lisa Bengtsson herself. She is one of the country's best-known designers and creates unique patterns that always convey a sense of creative freedom. Bengtsson is not afraid to stand out and over the years has built up a treasure trove of patterns ranging from flying tigers to Scandinavian striped wallpaper. She has all her wallpapers made at Ulriceham's wallpaper factory.
Gallery: Wallpapers by Studio Lisa Bengtsson
In addition to producing for other designers, Ulricehamns Tapetfabrik also has a number of wallpaper patterns under its own name in its range. The Locals collection includes neutral wallpapers and timeless stripe and houndstooth patterns. Here, too, the surface printing process ensures a very special, handcrafted look.
Gallery: Wallpapers by Ulricehamns Tapetfabrik
In addition to the traditional glue printing process, labels that have their wallpapers produced at Ulricehamns Tapetfabrik appreciate that sustainability is at the heart of all processes here, in addition to craftsmanship. The wallpapers are printed on non woven that are sourced from FSC-certified suppliers and certified according to OEKO-TEX Standard 100. The inks are water-based and free of PVC, solvents, heavy metals and other substances of concern. Excess ink is recycled according to strict standards. Energy for production is obtained from renewable sources as far as possible.
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Picture Source: Ulricehamns Tapetfarik