In the contract furniture industry, some companies spend decades perfecting a craft before stepping into the mainstream spotlight. Kwalu is one of them. Despite a 42-year history, the company is currently undergoing a significant transformation, moving from a specialized niche player to a high-design competitor in the healthcare and senior living sectors.
Based in Atlanta, Kwalu is leveraging a unique origin story and proprietary material technology to challenge the traditional aesthetic of clinical environments. The foundation of Kwalu grew from the practical frustrations of a hospital owner in South Africa.
“It started in South Africa with David Horwitz,” said Damion Van Slyke, vice president of marketing at Kwalu. “He owned hospitals and was looking for furniture that worked better. The furniture (he was using) would just degrade and break, and he came across this company that was (working on material innovation).”
This focus on durability led to the development of what the company now calls Protea, a proprietary material designed to survive the rigorous demands of healthcare without sacrificing visual appeal. The centerpiece of the Kwalu brand is a non-porous polymer that mimics the appearance and tactile warmth of wood while offering extreme durability. Now in its third chemical iteration, the material is engineered for superior infection control and impact resistance — perfect for healthcare and senior living environments.
“It’s a non-porous polymer that looks like wood and has a good feel,” said Van Slyke. “Like wood it is warm, but has these amazing durability and cleanabilty features. You can hit it with a baseball bat, you can wipe off Sharpie and microbes don’t grow on it because it’s non-porous.”
The realism of the material has reached a point where it consistently surprises industry veterans. During NeoCon, some industry veterans visiting the brand reportedly mistook the polymer for natural wood. “They actually thought it was wood…and then they wanted to know where they could get the material,” Van Slyke said, adding that the material is proprietary and made by Kwalu.
Jennifer Adams, senior vice president of sales at Kwalu, added that the branding of the material is a deliberate nod to the company’s heritage. The Protea is a South African flower, known for its durability and longevity that can withstand harsh environments.”
While Kwalu has historically been a strong competitor in the senior living market — specifically in dining and common areas — the company is now pushing deeper into the healthcare vertical, with a specific focus on the patient room. To facilitate this growth, the company is moving beyond the public areas and into clinical spaces with product lines like Ellie (designed by Von Robinson) and Ethan (designed by Brian Graham). Adams emphasized that the infection control story is a primary differentiator in these high-stakes environments.
“Within the healthcare and the senior living markets, (infection control) is super important,” Adams said. “Our Protea material has that antimicrobial, antibacterial finish. It acts as a solid surface without the price of the solid surface material.”
The “institutional” look traditionally associated with senior living and healthcare is being replaced by a “hospitality-first” mentality. Modern patients and residents now expect environments that feel like boutique hotels rather than clinical facilities. That elevated design language is seen in the products designed by Graham and Robinson.
“The hospitality trend is strong right now,” Adams said. “Space where we have traditionally worked has been known to be a little bit more institutional looking, but we’re moving toward that hospitality feel, which better creates a sense of belonging and connection to that space.”
Van Slyke said that this shift is visible even in modern hospital lobbies, which are transitioning into community hubs and even third workspaces. “If you go to a newer hospital, even those entry lobbies are no longer just stacks of emergency room chairs. It’s a place to sit down and open your laptop. We want people to walk into those spaces and feel like they’re in a boutique hotel-style space.”
Kwalu is no longer content being an industry secret. The company is currently overhauling its entire customer experience, from its digital presence to its integration with industry software like CET. “We’ve been really trying to transform the entire company,” said Van Slyke. “Not just from a product standpoint, but what the customer experience looks like.”
Kwalu has a manufacturing facility in Matamoros, Mexico and showrooms in Atlanta and Chicago. The company employs about 500.
The company’s evolution is attracting new talent and increasing the company’s visibility within the architecture and design community. By partnering with external designers like Graham and Robinson, Kwalu is signaling its intent to lead through innovation rather than just utility.
“I think the leadership team and the staff is super excited about where we’re headed,” Van Slyke said. “The future is bright.”
