Interview: Jaime Salm of MIO

Brothers Jaime and Isaac Salm are the creative minds behind MIO — a Philadelphia-based line of furniture and accessories that combines the principles of sustainability with accessible design. The products range from quirky to utilitarian, offering a new take on familiar pieces, while introducing some covet-worthy novelties. Cast from materials that can be reused or recycled back into the ecosystem, the result is a collection that is as much about forward design as it is about forward thinking. Fresh off a top secret collaboration with a major department store (to be unveiled this spring), Jaime Salm took time out to chat with Corduroy in this web exclusive interview.

How did you start up the company?

We got our start with a consulting job making retail displays for Anthropologie. I was fresh out of school and had very limited experience. We took our profit from the job, our bar-mitzvah money and credit cards and decided to create MIO.

Where did the idea behind MIO come from?

The idea of MIO originated while I was attending university. I knew that I wanted to start a company, but as I was completing my education, I realized what kind of company I wanted to build. I wanted to focus on sustainability, bridging the gap between business and sustainability through design. I wanted my company to be about responsible and beautiful design that would be accessible to more people. 

Did you have prior training/experience in design or business?

I have a Bachelors of Science in Industrial Design from the University of the Arts. I also have had the fortune of being around manufacturing entrepreneurs and business owners my whole life. The way I see it business without design is nothing, but design without business does not stand a chance either.

What is the significance behind the name MIO?

The name MIO means “mine” in spanish and at first I selected it for its graphic simplicity, ability to be translated three-dimensionally and into a variety of languages. However, as the company evolved, I realized how fitting the name was. We are re-designing what it means to own something and what the responsibility of ownership entails. Our products are highly customizable and customer-centric which also fits the name. In the end what is mine ends up being the customers’ and that is exactly the way it should be if it is designed right.

What is the goal of your designs? What are you hoping to achieve or introduce to the public?

I hope to change pre-conceptions about materials, expectations about the service and utility of products and ultimately transform sustainability into something that can be achieved by balancing business and environmental goals through design. I want people to do what is right for society and the environment through positive re-enforcement.  My design goal is to help people re-invent their habits. I would say MIO is re-engineering culture though simple, fun and practical ideas. I am fully aware that my small collection of products will not change the world, but I am convinced that I can change people’s minds one at a time. Sustainability is smarter, more flexible and financially viable.

Tell me a little bit about the design process. Is there a tactile starting point like a photo or sketch? Does the process change with each product?
The process has similar phases but is always different. We believe thorough research is the most important part of any project. We go out with our cameras and our notepads and document everything we see. From behavior and form, to color and cost, we try to capture the reality of a product, service, process or idea. A period of concept development and fast prototyping usually follows. We like to test our designs as much as possible given a particular project’s time and budget constraints. This will usually include a lot of cardboard models and fast-scale prototypes in whatever materials we can get our hands on. Then we finalize the design and begin to prepare it for production. This includes sourcing the manufacturers and technologies and doing some final tests when possible. At this point the product goes into production. What follows usually changes from one design to the next. We make adjustments based on customer feedback and manufacturer feedback to make the product better or the process more efficient when possible.
How has the process evolved over the years?
We’re more considerate now about the life and death of the product. It’s a part of the design process that we are getting more involved in. How do we make the product in its most important phase of existence yield the greatest environmental return? What happens when it is no longer wanted or needed? What tools will our customers need to do what is right? These are the questions we are beginning to address at MIO in the last stages of design.
Who or what are your influences?
I love the work of Antoni Gaudi, David Smith and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I admire the work of The Eames and the businesses of Richard Branson and Ingvar Kamprad.
So many designers are doing “sustainable” lines of clothing and furniture. What makes MIO different?
At the end of the day most of our ideas fit into the “common sense” category. Who doesn’t want to be more efficient, have less of an impact and pay less for doing the right thing? As far as product ideas are concerned they all have their origin in our research and interest in three main areas: Materials and technologies, human behavior/culture and sustainability.
For more information about MIO, check out mioculture.com

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