The company was established in 1974 by Adelina Gaspà, founder of Hobby Flower, and Lluis Cabré, based on a direct business model: through informal meetings, different collections of potted plants were offered to a small group of customers. Years later, with the collaboration of the Universidad de Biología de Barcelona, the Hobby Flower hydroplanter was invented and patented. A planter equipped with an exclusive self-watering system that faithfully reproduces the plants’ natural environment.
In 2012, Hobby Flower became part of the Genebre Group, and this was the beginning of its transformation and positioning as a high-end designer furniture brand. Today, the brand collaborates with major design studios and on international projects focused on the contract channel.
A patented self-watering system with an ecological spirit.
The creators of the self-watering system were looking for a system that would reproduce the plants' natural environment without altering their primary needs: sufficient soil drainage and root oxygenation. Irrigation is by capillary action, which means that water is progressively delivered to the plant. At the bottom of the pot is the water reservoir, where there are submerged cotton wicks soaked with water that deliver the moisture to the soil.
The standout feature of the company's system is that there aeration holes ensure a constant circulation of air inside the pot, preventing the water from stagnating and keeping the roots oxygenated. The highlight of the system is the periodicity of care: watering is only necessary once four times a year (at each change of season) so plants can live very well with minimum maintenance.
Main design collections
Hobby Flower's idea is to combine functionality with design and so contribute to the creation of natural green spaces. To achieve this, they prioritize the use of high quality materials, handcrafted production and the collaboration of designers who have a modern and sustainable vision.
For indoor projects, one of its best sellers is the ASHI collection, designed by the Emiliana Design Studio for whom experimentation with materials and the active involvement of the user play a major role in creations. This planter captivates with its unique style, contemporary shapes and colors, and ash wood legs that add an elegant touch to many interiors.
The SWING and URBAN hydroplanters are very popular in outdoor environments. These versatile collections are available in three different shapes: rectangular, round, and square, and a total of 18 different sizes, which means that they can be adapted both to demarcate a terrace, to be placed at the entrance to a hotel, or on a residential balcony.
Among the latest collections is BARDI, created by Swedish designer Sanna Völker, who focuses her work on the production of handcrafted pieces with pure forms created in symbiosis with nature. This unique series consisting of hydroplanters, stool and tables is made of ceramic (stoneware), following a traditional production process that has been passed down from generation to generation. It is a material that many customers requested for their projects, and that the company wanted to create by adding a contemporary touch with more modern colors.
Another of their latest proposals is the WOODGREEN collection, also designed by the Emiliana Design studio, which in itself is a very innovative product as it is a hydroplanter directly integrated into a bench, one that as always includes a self-watering system. The collection is designed for large spaces such as shopping malls or hotel courtyards and allows an infinite number of possible combinations.
Internationalization and key projects
Exports represent 60% of the company's turnover. Sales to Europe represent an important part of the business, with key markets such as France, Italy, Belgium, Croatia, Bulgaria, Greece, and the United Kingdom. It also works extensively in the Middle East, where Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are the main customers. In the Americas, it has had a presence in the USA for 10 years, one that extends to Latin America with projects in Chile and Panama, for example. Its markets of interest include Asia, Australia, and Mexico.
In recent years, Hobby Flower has participated in numerous projects in the international hospitality sector, such as the Hilton hotels in Vienna and Bordeaux. In 2022, the URBAN collection was installed to delimit the terrace of the new Cut restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York.
In the office sector, the refurbishment of the Sber bank offices in Belarus where three different collections have been installed stands out. Its planters and pots can also be found at the new International University of Rabat in Morocco, and in several airports around the world such as Cairo, Stockholm and Sofia. By 2023, the plan is to install the company’s products in a range of hotels such as the Hilton in Brussels, and luxury hotel chains in Morocco. They are also working on solutions for the installation of plants at Paris-Orly airport, which is being renovated in preparation for the 2024 Olympic Games.
