Ryan From RAD Furniture

I had just finished my first year of graduate architecture school at the University of Texas at Austin when I signed up for a summer studio, with the goal of knocking out some credits - fabricating was not on my radar at the time, let alone welding which I would’ve dismissed as too difficult (and all those sparks must be dangerous!) but the studio turned out to be a building project in which we were to produce a pre-fabricated home to trailer to Washington DC for a sustainability competition. Since the house needed to travel thousands of miles, the frame and many of the key components were designed to be out of steel. Our lead professor knew how to weld, but it was too much work for one person, so when he asked for a show of hands for whoever wanted to do some welding, there weren’t any hands going up, and I soon felt my arm raising, alongside my trusted colleague Jack.  

We received 15 minutes of training that day, and the rest is history as they say - I was soon hooked on the excitement and fulfillment that came with being able to stick metal together to create new (permanent) objects, that if designed and fabricated correctly, could be useful, especially when combined with other materials like wood, concrete and glass - in short: mini architecture that could be conceived of and executed quickly and that appealed to my utilitarian (Scandinavian?) senses. 

After another year in school it became evident that I did not have the attention span for capital “A” Architecture, but I did have a knack for design and fabrication, and the link between those two was immediate with welding. Friends offered some dollars to buy the objects I was making for my own backyard, and a seed was planted - the 2008 housing crisis hit, there were no jobs, and I still had a year of school to go. I decided it was a waste of my time to pursue Architecture at that time, for personal and financial reasons, so I dove head first into the tangible pursuit of creating objects that might have value, and naively began the work of starting the business that would become RAD Furniture (est Jan 2010). 

The RAD team has evolved into a close-knit and hard-working group of individuals who enjoy the challenge of building something different. There’s not a blueprint for businesses doing all that we do - design, sell, manufacture (in Los Angeles) and deliver commercial-grade products for use in ballparks, offices, restaurants, cities and homes - so we’ve had to learn on the way, and the work is very difficult. It would not be possible to do what we do without individuals who are adept at working as a team. 

 The inspiration for RAD came from Vans shoes in the 1980’s and 90’s, when customizing shoes with colors and patterns was unheard of. I’d walk into a store and leaf through a binder showing all the options, and 3 weeks later I’d have a pair of shoes that were unique. We wanted to apply this fun, fast and casual ethos to furniture.  

 To become RAD Furniture, a piece must be efficient to make (in order to keep costs in check) - which starts with the proper utilization of metals, which are inherently strong, durable and cost effective when used sparingly.  

 This directive tends to lead to furniture which is easy on the eyes, since all parts are readily perceivable in their purpose - “Only The Necessary” and “What You See Is What You Get” are a couple of our mottos. 

 We recently completed a large furniture installation at the Dodgers’ Single-A stadium for the Ontario Tower Buzzers. It’s always rewarding to see our work in use—but knowing it plays a role in fans coming together to enjoy baseball with family and friends makes it especially meaningful. As a team full of baseball fans—particularly of the Dodgers organization—this one hits close to home. 

Between my work at RAD and at home with my family (which includes 3 young sons) I don’t have the time to baby my denim - they get dirty regularly and washed often. And I like the way my jeans fit/feel out of the dryer, so they get dried with the rest of our clothes. This is perhaps a no-no with denim purists, but it works for me and my lifestyle, and results in comfortable and flexible jeans. 

I don’t enjoy shopping or thinking about what to wear, but I’m extremely brand-loyal, and I need to have a sense of pride in every item that I wear. So I essentially wear a uniform Monday-Friday, which includes a RAD T-Shirt (the same as our fabricators wear), and Nike Skateboard shoes (they’re a great client and their SB shoes are both comfortable and durable). Red Wing boots are reserved for days when I’m actually fabricating, which have become fewer and fewer in recent years.  

 Even as a (now) part-time welder, my uniform starts with the jeans - since denim is durable (and fireproof)!  

About 10 years ago, I started noticing that my go-to “American” brand of Levi’s jeans wasn’t holding up to my day-to-day use. Living in Los Angeles—the epicenter of U.S. apparel manufacturing—I took the logical step of looking for something made locally. That search quickly led me to Kato, and I immediately connected with both the brand and the product. 

Today, I have two pairs of black Kato jeans in my weekly rotation, and they’re still going strong. On weekends, I switch to a lighter wash, along with a couple pairs of their chinos—which are incredibly comfortable!