Stephanie Forsythe and Todd MacAllen first revealed molo to the world at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in 2004, and the show holds a cherished place in the designers’ hearts and their studio’s history. The partners had founded molo the year before on ideas of flexible design, sustainability, and materials research. These ideas informed and continue to inspire their design development of the soft collection, an award-winning line of flexible space partitions, furniture, and lighting elements. Made from FSC® Certified paper or recyclable polyethylene textile, elements can compress, stretch, and connect to completely transform living and working environments.
molo returns every year to ICFF to showcase refinements in the soft collection and demonstrate the endless possibilities that it enables. Rather than introducing new products in a ceaseless cycle, Forsythe and MacAllen focus on iterative development. Their materials research, as well as a sensitivity to nature and light, influence refinements and additions to the collection and inform decisions for finishes, limited editions, or colour options. This year’s exhibition at ICFF featured forest green textile, the latest standard colour for the soft collection.
Explore the ICFF exhibition through the image gallery.
latest addition to the soft collection
forest green textile
This colour draws inspiration from the natural beauty surrounding molo’s studio + workshop in Vancouver, Canada. The pleated surface of softwall + softblock transforms a single shade of green into a vibrant range of hues and a plurality of vertical highlights and deep shadows - an abstraction of the Pacific Northwest rainforest. As in nature, the structural lines follow a pattern that adapts and changes in response to the surrounding environment. The colour itself conjures a sense of calm focus.
Made from recyclable 100% polyethylene, this non-woven textile is tear- and water-resistant, antistatic, and easily cleanable. It can be printed in any Pantone colour, allowing for uniquely branded environments or installations designed to arouse particular emotions or moods.
empowering you to continue the process
design thinking
While in New York for ICFF, the molo team visited the United Nations Headquarters for a guided architectural tour. While security concerns have shifted its programming, initially, the complex was designed with access in mind. It was built on ideas of international cooperation, peace, and togetherness, and in this spirit, the entire area was open to the public. People could stroll through the gardens, play by the fountain, or admire the buildings and artwork up close. An expression of freedom and a place belonging to the people and the world.
When Stephanie Forsythe and Todd MacAllen design an exhibition for molo, it is in a similar spirit. The soft collection’s acoustic qualities, material finishes, and colour choices conjure a peaceful sense of calm and the installations are arranged to arouse curiosity and spark creativity. These are your spaces to explore. What lies beyond the curve of a softwall? Is it a place to sit and reflect, or to collaborate, or something to touch?
As a sustainable building system, the soft collection takes the design process one step further. Not only are these your places to explore, but they are your tools to create with. The collection empowers people to rethink and redefine their environments with flexibility and ease. From a loft, to an experiential exhibition, to an entire campus—how will you shape your spaces?
beyond the exhibition
Original Thinkers + WANTED Design Schools Workshop
Be Original Americas is a non-profit committed to educating and influencing manufacturers, artisans, designers and users about the economic, ethical and environmental value of authentic design. molo co-founder and designer Stephanie Forsythe spoke on BOA’s “Original Thinkers” panel at ICFF, sharing insight into her creative process with Todd MacAllen and how the partners developed molo as a business.
panellists —
Stephanie Forsythe, co-founder & lead designer, molo
John Christakos, co-founder & CEO, Blu Dot
Jaime Derringer, founder, Design Milk; co-founder & Head of Brand, Trame
Moderator: Tom Krizmanic, Principal & Studio Director, Gensler New York
The 2025 WANTED Design Schools Workshop, a collaborative design challenge for international design schools, took place at ICFF. The workshop theme was "Eating in NYC: Reconnecting and Redesigning Food Systems." More than 30 students from various international design schools participated in the workshop. molo co-founder Stephanie Forsythe was on the jury, and molo supported the workshop by shaping a space for the students using paper softwall, benchwall, and other furniture elements from the soft collection.
molo is honoured to return from ICFF 2025 with the following awards:
ICFF Editors Award · Best International Brand ·
Female Design Council Awards · Best in Show ICFF 2025 ·
IFDA · Best in Show Sustainable Design