Hawaii Furniture and Construction Co., Ltd., known as Hawaii Thai, is a manufacturer of woven furniture that reinterprets traditional craftsmanship to suit contemporary use, in terms of form, design, and material development.
Harisadhi Leelayuwapan, Executive and Art Director of the company, sees Architect as an important platform to engage directly with professionals in the design industry, including architects, interior designers, engineers, contractors, landscape designers, and project developers.
Unlike general trade fairs, visitors at Architect’26 are primarily professionals who look beyond aesthetics. They place strong emphasis on material performance, production processes, and the potential of products to be applied in real architectural projects.
As a result, conversations at the exhibition often go deeper into material properties, structural details, and production techniques, rather than viewing furniture solely as decorative objects.
Thai Woven Craft as a Platform for Design Development
A key strength of Hawaii Thai lies in the integration of traditional weaving craftsmanship with design development suited to contemporary contexts.
While the visual language of the furniture has evolved to become more modern, its core still relies on the expertise of skilled artisans. This craftsmanship gives each piece a distinct identity and differentiates it from mass-produced industrial furniture.
At the same time, woven materials offer a high degree of flexibility in design. Variations in color, pattern arrangement, and newly developed textures allow designers to extend their concepts in diverse ways.
The flexibility of both structure and weaving techniques enables the material to respond to a wide range of design ideas. It often becomes a medium for experimentation, especially in comparison to materials that are more limited by form or size.
With these qualities, woven craftsmanship is not only a preserved tradition, but also a material that can be continuously developed and integrated into contemporary design.
Material Development for Practical Use
Beyond furniture design, the brand also develops its own woven materials in-house, allowing full control over both quality and performance.
These materials are designed with safety in mind, while also being engineered for durability and long-term use. This reduces deterioration caused by environmental conditions or daily use.
Although the material is not natural, the core idea is to create long-lasting materials that reduce the need for frequent replacement and minimize long-term waste.
From a design perspective, the woven material can also be developed in a wide range of colors and surface finishes, giving designers greater flexibility to shape spatial atmosphere according to each project concept.
70 Years of Hawaii Thai: A Narrative Exhibition
One of the key highlights of this year’s booth is a special exhibition celebrating the 70th anniversary of Hawaii Thai.
The exhibition is designed as a narrative space that presents the brand’s journey through furniture pieces from different periods.
Selected furniture collections that were once popular are brought back on display, reflecting the evolution of design, production techniques, and changing user needs over time.
Some pieces represent iconic designs of their era, while others highlight distinct construction methods and design approaches. These range from structural details and weaving techniques to forms that reflect the lifestyle of each period.
This exhibition is not only a retrospective of the brand, but also an opportunity for visitors to observe the development of Thai woven furniture within contemporary design contexts, as well as shifts in living preferences over several decades.
It serves as a record of the evolution of materials, craftsmanship, and design, shaped continuously over time.
From Outdoor Furniture to Multi-Context Applications
Hawaii Thai has long been associated with outdoor furniture, commonly found in leisure spaces, resorts, and hotel common areas.
At Architect’26, however, the brand aims to expand this perception by demonstrating that materials and structures designed for outdoor durability can also be applied effectively in indoor environments, both in terms of comfort and aesthetic compatibility.
The booth concept draws inspiration from furniture details to create a temporary architectural space that showcases the versatility of the materials across different contexts. These range from indoor spaces to semi-outdoor areas and fully outdoor environments.
This approach allows visitors to explore new possibilities for applying woven furniture across diverse spatial conditions, offering a broader perspective on its role in contemporary design.
Craftsmanship in a Time of Renewed Appreciation
In recent years, craftsmanship has regained attention from both consumers and designers. After a period dominated by industrial production and technology, many are now seeking products with unique identity and a sense of human intention.
For Hawaii Thai, this trend aligns with the brand’s long-standing commitment to woven craftsmanship.
Craft is not seen merely as a traditional practice, but as a foundation for developing products that respond to contemporary design in terms of form, function, and everyday usability.
From a design perspective, woven materials continue to offer opportunities for exploration, whether through color variation, pattern development, or surface experimentation. These qualities allow the material to connect traditional knowledge with contemporary design approaches in meaningful ways, while remaining a defining characteristic of Hawaii Thai furniture.
Discover New Collections at Architect’26
At Architect’26, Hawaii Thai presents new furniture collections developed in collaboration with designers from various studios. These collections reinterpret woven materials through a contemporary lens and highlight the potential of Thai craftsmanship in today’s design context.
The booth also features a special exhibition celebrating the brand’s 70-year journey, showcasing furniture from different eras to reflect the evolution of design, production techniques, and changing lifestyles.
Visitors are invited to explore Hawaii Thai’s latest collections and discover the brand’s legacy at Booth F208 at Architect’26, the ASEAN’s largest building technology exposition, held from April 28 to May 3, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, at Challenger Hall 1–3, IMPACT Muang Thong Thani.
