Picture the scene: you are getting ready for bed and you are taking off your clothes – where do they land? On the floor in a heap š³? On a chair as they are not dirty & can be worn again? Or do you take the time and put them back in your wardrobe or into the laundry basket? My guest this week is Jon Thurling, founder of Floordrobe – the perfect solution to clothes on the chair syndrome! Welcome to the blog, Jonā¦

Hello! Iām Jon Thurling the founder of FloordrobeĀ®. Iām South African, born in Johannesburg and moved to the UK almost two years ago. Iāve been around a bit though; spent a couple of years in Amsterdam. So, I guess you could say thatĀ Floordrobe® came about through my experience living in different, great but cramped cities. Beyond that, I say Iām relatively ānormalā if thatās a word; work, eat, sleep, play. Iām kind of happy with this lifestyle. I enjoy having a beer on the weekend and attacking Monday morning in the same vein.Ā
What inspired the setting up of your company, Floordrobe?
It was really the problem that led to a solution which led to a product which then led to a business. When I first moved to London, my girlfriend, at the time, and I didnāt have space to put our worn-but-clean clothes and so, one slow day working from home, I thought, āyou know what, I can make something that solves this problem.ā An early version of theĀ Floordrobe® was produced and then I thought, āhey, maybe other people would be interested in this!ā AndĀ from then on, weĀ had a little business.Ā
TheĀ Floordrobe® is indeed a stylish way to de clutter and organise your semi clean clothes instead of dumping your clothes on a chair or floor! Whatās theĀ Floordrobe® dimensions? And is it easy to assemble?
TheĀ Floordrobe® stands 160 cm tall, and 45cm wide. It is dead easy to assemble (and purposefully designed to be so). I have assembled a few in my time and, now have a running record of how fast I can assemble it. Iām currently at 2m 34 seconds.Ā

The Floordrobe® is made of durable acacia wood & recyclable materials. Is the Floordrobe® only available in the wood/metal set up or are there other colours available?
Yes, currently it is only available in high quality Acacia wood and black powder coat steel. As I said, the business just evolved and so now we are looking into different types. I think there is a whole range that can be explored. Different colours areĀ definitely anĀ option (we are thinking a dusty white painted one would be nice) and we are also thinking about different designs with someĀ free-standingĀ units, smaller more compact units. There is a lot going on!
What are the benefits of using acacia wood?Ā
The main benefits of the Acacia are twofold. First, Ā it is sustainably harvested in Vietnam. We are ensuring that theĀ FloordrobeĀ®āsĀ we make are made from sustainable sources. Wood is only aĀ sustainable resourceĀ insofar as you harvest it sustainably. Secondly, it looks and feels great. As opposed to a plywood cupboard, the wood of theĀ Floordrobe® is going to be visible in your bedroom all the time and so you want something that is high quality and easy on the eye, something you are proud of purchasing, and we feelĀ FloordrobeĀ®āsAcacia wood accomplishes this.Ā

Ā As your HQ is Ā based in the UK, are your products available to purchase internationally?
Yes, so our products are availableĀ throughoutĀ the UK and in the US. We offer affordableĀ 48-hourdelivery to all customers in the UK. For the US, we are currently shipping from our distribution centre in Bristol, UK. This means thatĀ delivery times are longer and it is a little more expensive. We are looking into creating a supply chain in the US that will help us bring the price point down for our US customers.Ā
The Floordrobe® is manufactured in Vietnam, although stored and despatched from Bristol.  Why did you pick Vietnam specifically for manufacturing the Floordrobe?
We chose Vietnam half with the heart and half with the head. From theĀ heart, I had travelled a bit of Vietnam as a student and thoroughly enjoyed the people, theĀ cultureĀ and the foodĀ and so when I was looking for a place to manufacture theĀ FloordrobeĀ® Vietnam was high on the list. It just so happened that Vietnam has a world class furniture manufacturing industry and so, voila, Vietnam itwas. And I can say, it has been a great experience so far. Working with our Vietnamese partners has been a pleasure.Ā
Have you got any other new furniture ideas in the pipeline to add to the Floordrobe?
Ā Right now, we are focused on the worn but clean clothes problem. As I said, I think there is still so much to do in the space. We really dream ofĀ Floordrobe® becoming a household name. But, as an entrepreneur, I am always scheming. A thought we had the other day was something that holds the lid of your pot when you open it to stir. I never know where to put the lid. Itās hot and wet and so the counter doesnāt feel right yet thatās where it goes. I suggested this to myĀ friendĀ and he thought I should call it Sous Chef, which I thought was a great name although its probably taken.Ā AlsoĀ no dibs on the idea, if one of your readers wants to run with it, then they should reach out!

Growing up, had you always inspired to be a furniture designer or did your aspirations lay elsewhere?
No, I would be lying if I said I aspiredĀ to be a furniture designer. I would have to say I aspired to be a sportsman. And to be honest,Ā at the moment, I donāt really think of myself as a furniture designer but more of a creator. Thatās the part of the business I really enjoy, creating, sampling, testing and releasing products and seeing how customers react to the product. Itās an amazing feeling to see someoneās reaction to something you thought of.Ā
Although you are based in the UK, Ā you have visited Vietnam. What 5 must see places or experiences would you recommend a tourist visit or do whilst in Vietnam?Ā
Oh man, thatās a good question. So,Ā a few things, the trip from North (Hanoi) to South (Ho Chi Minh) is epic and I would suggest that to everybody. We unfortunately had to cut our tripĀ aĀ little short and couldnāt do the fullĀ tripĀ but I will go back and do every stop on that trip. To get more definitive,Ā top three highlights were the following.Ā HẔ Long Bay blew me away. I completely underestimated the natural beauty of the place. It will stay with me forever. Next, I would say theĀ War Remnants MuseumĀ in Ho Chi Minh wasĀ really powerful. I am a bit of a history nut and so spent hours in it. It wasĀ really interestingĀ to see the perspective of the Vietnam war from the Vietnamese. Next, the Mekong Delta and doing the Vietnamese war tunnels was also a great experience. I am a tall guy so going through some of the tiny tunnels for only 5 minutes was truly an experience. Lastly, just crossing the road is an experience! It is one of those places where the scooters and bikes just pass you and you are the one you mustnāt hesitate. You need to put your head down and walk!

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?
I am a uniform kind of man to be honest. In the week, I have a pair of jeans and a pair of chinos, along with 5 Shirts and so I wear one a day with either my Chelsea boots in winter or sneakers in the summer (or maybe shorts if we are feeling a bit spicy). And of course, half my shirts go onto my Floordrobe® which is in use all the time!
Do you have any favourite shops or online sites? (Apart from your own!)
Ah great question, I would even say that whileĀ I thinkĀ ours is good,Ā I look to others and think that is a great store. Iāve just boughtĀ a pair ofĀ sunglassfromĀ Messy Weekend and that was a great experience. I also love the name. Next to that I amĀ actually aĀ big Huel person. I love the product, the brand, the website. It is a product I use soĀ often and have such a good experience with that I hope one day people will look at theirĀ Floordrobe® in the same way.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?
Ā I know its right at the end of the season, but this winter I really missed out onĀ aĀ long black or brown trench coat. I need something that is a bit formal, but sleek and warm. But now we are in spring so that ship has probably sailed until next winter.Ā
Boots or Shoes?
Iām more of aĀ shoesĀ person hey. Although saying that,Ā I wore my Chelsea boots almost every day this winter! No, I say shoes because I am a shorts guy and so when I wear my shortsĀ (which is wheneverĀ heĀ sun is up), Iāll probably be putting on my sneakers, Birkenstocks or flip flops. With these shoes, especially, my sneakers I feel comfortable yet active (which is a nice way to walk around London).Ā
Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook/twitter etc so that readers can find out more about Floordrobe
b. IG: the_floor_drobe
c. FB: The FloordrobeĀ®
d. TT: @floor_drobe
Great to chat to you Jon and what a fab idea!
Linda x
All photographs have been published with the kind permission of Jon Thurling/Floordrobe.
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