Soft light. Softer sound.
The natural acoustic properties of New Zealand wool, reimagined through lighting. Lof creates sculptural wool lighting that brings together warm, diffused light and the natural sound absorbing properties of wool. Designed to do more than illuminate, our knitted wool shades help soften reflected sound while bringing warmth, texture and softness to interior spaces.
The science. Acoustic research undertaken, and ongoing, with the University of Auckland's Faculty of Engineering.
Lighting that helps soften sound.
Hard surfaces such as glass, concrete and timber reflect sound, creating reverberation and background noise. In busy hospitality and commercial spaces, this can make conversation difficult. Wool offers a natural way to help soften these environments.Wool is a high-performance natural fibre with inherent sound-absorbing properties. In interior spaces, its structure helps absorb reflected sound, soften reverberation and reduce echo across a range of frequencies. Lof transforms New Zealand wool into sculptural pendant lighting that combines illumination with acoustic function.
A softer approach to architectural lighting.
Lighting is often designed primarily for illumination and sculptural form. At Lof, we also consider how a material’s performance can contribute more to the spaces we inhabit. The knitted structure of wool and its natural fibres help absorb sound, bringing an acoustic function to the role of lighting. The result is lighting that works hard in the background while bringing sculptural softness to a space.
A hard-working light.
Knitted New Zealand wool does more than soften the appearance of a space. Its naturally fibrous structure helps absorb sound energy, reducing reflected sound and reverberation.
By integrating wool into the structure of our lighting, we give a familiar interior product another purpose.
Made for spaces where people come together.
From restaurants and cafés to workplaces and homes, Lof wool lighting brings softness, material character and acoustic function to everyday interiors.
Designed for lively spaces.
Lof’s wool pendants are particularly suited to larger, open spaces and lively environments where sound can be challenging, including open-plan interiors, hospitality spaces, high ceilings and lofty, double-height areas. These spaces often call for lighting that can fill the volume and help soften the sound. Statement pieces such as Hiwa 80 and Double Wool Hoop 900 bring scale and presence, while groupings of smaller designs, including Wool Hoop 25, 40 and 60, and Hiwa 40 and 60, create layered compositions and introduce more wool throughout a space. Working with scale, volume and multiples allows designers to combine architectural lighting with the natural sound-absorbing properties of wool.
Acoustic testing
Lof’s knitted Wool Hoop lighting has undergone acoustic testing with the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Engineering. We are currently undertaking further testing across our lighting range. The research explores the sound-absorbing properties of our wool lighting, including the performance of individual pieces and larger groupings. For more information on the research and results, get in touch.
Explore the research
Discover more about the science behind Lof's wool lighting, our acoustic research with the University of Auckland and the development of the Wool Hoop.
Read: The Science of Wool Lighting →