Magno means “magnify”

I spotted a pic of a little wooden Magno AM/FM radio in the ELLE Decoration UK, and thought I’d blog it because it’s so very cute. But when I started reading more about Magno, I discovered that there’s a whole lot more going on here than just a bit of cute.

The radios were designed by Indonesian product designer, Singgih S. Kartono, in response to a whole range of needs in his home village of Kandangan in Central Java. Home farming, the backbone of the village, was in decline due to agribusiness, and village life was suffering. Kartono decided to bring his experience of rural village life, his knowledge of product design, and his interest in Craft together, and Magno was born.

Now his village is sustained by the production of the radios, craft skills have been developed, and Kartono has also begun giving back to the land, replanting trees to make up for the wood used in production.

Design can be inspiring in so many ways, and this one is a brilliant example. Do read the Magno website, where Kartono explains everything behind his thinking, materials and production methods. You’ll see why Magno (which means “magnify”) is just the right name for this brand. And get yourself a Magno at SCP.