Patricia Urquiola's latest fabric for Kvadrat adopts a chameleon effect

Punkto is a unique twill-woven curtain textile, designed by Patricia Urquiola for Danish textile brand Kvadrat. Soft and cosy, the fabric of the material reminds one of a soft, cotton upholstery. “We gave it a really soft hand – almost like cotton for the touch and a vibrant twill look,” says Urquiola, who is a Spanish architect and designer, about the texture of the fabric.

Urquiola was inspired to create this innovative fabric while working on her previous collections, Relate and Reflect, for Kvadrat. Both these collections were defined by the distinctive diagonal twill weave pattern that also characterises Punkto. Relate and Reflect were designed as ‘twin collections’, and although one was made out of Trevira CS and the other out of recycled polyester, their textures were designed to be soft on the skin and soft on the eyes. The two yarns that made up each fabric were densely woven in singularity, emphasising its solid texture, which appears carved out of a single material.

Building from the previous 2020 collections, the Punkto fabric collection utilises three instead of two contrasting yarns to spin out soft pieces of fabric. One hue makes up the warp and two hues are used in the weft of the twill-woven fabric. The result is an iridescent look, the appearance of which keeps on changing with the intensity of light falling on it. Urquiola says that the woven fabric “creates a kind of chameleon effect.”

The cotton-like yarns used to make these fabrics feature slight imperfections, resulting in a surface that appears natural and is dotted with subtle irregularities. The three different hues woven together in the distinctive diagonal weave adds a 3D effect to the fabrics. However, on closer look, one can easily notice the colourful dots that make up these lines and layers on the surface of the fabric. The name of this collection is also derived from the Esperanto word for ‘point’.

Punkto fabrics are made out of 100% Trevira CS and come in 12 versatile colours. They measure 300 cm wide and are suitable for use in homes, hospitality spaces and offices. The fabrics are thick and soft and can easily be used for draping purposes. These fabrics also share a few characteristics with another one of Urquiola’s designs called Lumo.

Founded in 1968, Kvadrat is a textile brand based in Denmark. The renowned company prides itself on maintaining its deep roots in Scandinavia’s world-famous design tradition. Kvadrat has, over the years, consistently collaborated with leading designers to produce textiles, rugs, and acoustic and window coverings for both residential and commercial spaces.