No phone, no pings — just mountain glasses, a bar cart (and 3 other products) – #60

Buonasera from Ulten Valley!

Welcome to this week’s installment of what’s hot in brands & products.

What started as a quick Sunday hike with my wife turned into a full-blown alpine expedition: 20km, 1800m up, one summit, two bonus peaks, and exactly zero regrets.

The original plan? Be home by lunch.

The actual timeline? Back in the valley by 5:30pm, sunburnt and starving.

Classic.

But honestly — it was one of those hikes that reminded us of why we moved to South Tyrol 4 years ago. Big sky, postcard views, no signal. My phone died halfway through and I didn’t even care. No distractions. No pings. Just me, my thoughts, and one very steep goat trail. (Curious? Here are some photos.)

Anyway, that’s the headspace this week. Beauty, immersion, and a reminder to go offline more often.

That feeling stuck with me — and it shows in the five things I found this week.

If you’re new around here: Every week, I share 5 of the coolest products from Europe I’ve discovered in the past 7 days.

I scout, you explore. Let’s get to it!

With love ☀️
Jakob

P.S.: Missed last week's edition? The booby umbrella was the most clicked product.

“Fern” Risotto Storage Cabinet [🇬🇧]

Bisley teamed up with Glasgow-based RISOTTO Studio to give their Fern cabinet a bold graphic upgrade — playful geometrics printed right onto steel, like someone screen-printed your filing system in a design school. If you’ve been looking for storage that doesn’t scream "admin," this might be your type of weird.

Organize your chaos, artfully

Cutra Sheep Wool Blanket [🇮🇹]

Made in the Ladin valleys of South Tyrol using local sheep wool and woven in micro-batches that probably wouldn't even qualify for Kickstarter, this blanket is the real deal.

It's warm, raw, a little wild around the edges — kind of like the region itself. And yes, Harry Thaler (yes, that Harry Thaler) had a hand in shaping what Fataman is building.

If you’ve ever wanted a blanket that feels less like a product and more like a story, start here.

Wrap yourself in Ladin design

Vallon Mountain Glasses [🇸🇪]

I’ve featured Vallon before — but these Mountain frames hit different. Lightweight, wraparound protection, and a lens tint that makes the world look like a Wes Anderson film at golden hour.

Perfect for alpine hikes, overexposed glacier selfies, or pretending you’re in a remake of the Piz Palü movie.

Your new hiking glasses

“Come As You Are” Bar Cart [🇩🇪]

Dante Goods and Bads stripped the classic hostess trolley down to its steel bones and rebuilt it like a line drawing in 3D. Graphical. Bi-dimensional. Wheels that spin 360°. Two glass shelves, no fluff. It’s giving Bauhaus-on-wheels.

If your living room leans more “quiet brutalism” than “cocktail hour kitsch,” this might be your new sidekick.

Roll with it

Palma Pouf [🇸🇪]

Technically it’s a pouf. Practically, it’s a conversation starter disguised as furniture.

Designed by Kusheda Mensah, the Palma comes in a series of sculptural forms — some round, some squiggly, all built to make your space feel less rigid and more human. Graphic, bold, and they don’t care about symmetry.

Pick your shape and commit

Shoutout to this week’s sponsor – Notion, the app I use to keep all these product picks organized.
(And if you don’t have a paid account yet, they’re offering the first 6 months for free. If you check it out just click, you’re helping keep this newsletter going. Appreciate it!)

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