Thinking Evergreen

Re-thought with Yukari

With a background in both Japanese design culture and the Nordic furniture tradition, Yukari Dahlgren has a distinct eye for detail, process and the inherent potential of materials. As a product developer at Edsbyn, her daily work brings together craftsmanship, material knowledge and curiosity – always with a willingness to rethink and explore new possibilities.

Thinking Evergreen

Piece by piece, material meets craftsmanship, and the abstract begins to take form – shaped by Yukari’s background and professional skill. Thinking Evergreen is the process where development and material knowledge take center stage.

Here, Yukari starts from an idea rooted in leftover materials and lets craftsmanship lead the way. The result is not a product, but an experiment in material, craftsmanship, and curiosity – a way to explore how what already exists can be refined and given new value.

Mismatched offcuts, together with a leftover Fanett spindle are brought to life, pointing toward new ways of thinking about material and form.

For Yukari, product development is about listening, testing and allowing curiosity to guide both herself and her colleagues forward – even when the path ahead is not yet fully defined.

Yukari Dahlgren, Product Developer & Master Cabinetmaker, together with Product Engineer Niklas Nordlund.

Driven by curiosity

Born in Japan, Yukari is educated in Urban Environmental Design, with further studies in interior architecture and furniture design at Carl Malmsten School in Sweden. After completing both her journeyman’s and master’s certificates, she spent several years working in furniture and window manufacturing before moving toward more design- and development-driven processes.

At Edsbyn, Yukari works with custom-made furniture and tailored solutions, where drawing, analysis, and material understanding come together. For her, craftsmanship is not only about precision, but about – and the ability to see new possibilities.

Complementary perspectives

Differences between Japan and Sweden in terms of recycling and resource management have also shaped Yukari’s approach to product development. In Japan, these systems are often defined by detailed rules, responsibility, and respect for the collective. In Sweden, she sees a stronger focus on accessibility and holistic thinking around sustainability and the circular economy — two perspectives that complement rather than contradict one another.

A desired superpower

We end the interview by asking Yukari about the superpower she wishes she had. The answer comes easily:

– Mind reading. Being able to see and understand needs before they are fully articulated is a central part of my work, to truly read minds would be a real superpower.

Från spillmaterial till fortsatt liv, utvecklad ur nyfikenhet.

Towards a new and curious year

Living Evergreen is the result of an experiment in leftovers and craftsmanship, a reminder of the potential to refine and transform what already exists, giving it new life with lasting value.

With that in mind, we wish you a warm and joyful holiday season and together with you, we look forward to a new year filled with curiosity!