Bosnian brand Zanat has hand-carved its way into global designers’ hearts

On the side of a bus shelter in Sarajevo, someone has scrawled a quote from Chuck Palahniuk’s novel Fight Club: 'It’s only after we’ve lost everything, that we’re free to do anything.' It may sound a touch Hollywood, but the sentiment feels apt in Bosnia, a country that just 30 years ago was torn apart by war. For its citizens, the years since then have been about rebuilding – finding a way to heal and move forward, while asking what it is they want to become.

For Orhan Niksic, who was a child when the war broke out, this has meant breathing new life into Zanat, his family’s century-old woodcarving business.

Based in Konjic, a town 56 miles south-west of Sarajevo, the company preserves the region’s craft heritage while looking to the future. Nestled in dramatic forested mountains, Konjic has a long history of woodcarving, which – thanks to Zanat – achieved Unesco certification in 2017.

As Niksic, a former economist, wisely observes, to save the past, we have to move forward. 'We didn't want to destroy our heritage and start something completely new,' says Niksic, remembering the time ten years ago when he and his brother Adem relaunched the business with a new direction. 'We understood, and I think we were very much attached also to the knowledge and history of the woodcarving craft and were determined to preserve it.'

It was a bold move at a time when many suggested they take a different path. 'Many people advised us otherwise,' he recalls. 'They said if you want to build modern design and furniture, forget about the craft. But for us, this was never an option.' Their vision – to modernise without erasing tradition – has become Zanat’s defining philosophy, and one that continues to guide every decision today.

Now, at just ten years old, Zanat has built a roster of collaborators that would make even the most established design houses green with envy – Michele De Lucchi, StudioIlse, Yves Behar, Naoto Fukasawa, Monica Förster, Sebastian Herkner, Palomba Serafini Associati, Harri Koskinen, Wingårdhs, Jasna Mujkić, Patrick Norguet and Jean-Marie Massaud.

All but two were present in October 2025 for the opening of an exhibition celebrating the ten-year milestone, which launched 12 new pieces showcasing the beauty of the atelier’s handcarving techniques. The anniversary designs – all small-scale accessories and home objects – were unveiled for the first time at the brand’s Sarajevo showroom.

Swedish designer Monica Förster, who designed a set of trays for the occasion, has served as the brand’s creative director since its reinvention ten years ago and has been intrinsic in shaping its new direction.

'I have been trying to be a part of moving Zanat towards what I myself am missing in today’s design world – a collaborative sense of community which is about something more than just designing another piece of furniture,' she told Wallpaper*. 'In a world that right now is about defining differences, this project for me is about building bridges and coexistence in a creative way. It is about creating a community that bridges Bosnia’s cultural heritage with the designers’ own heritage, working towards a common cause – exploring a new universe of design and art.'

Zanat’s approach to collaboration is deeply considered. 'They felt they'd discovered a new artistic medium, a way to express something unique,' says Niksic, reflecting on why so many creatives want to work with the brand. 'We don't approach designers just because they're big names – we look for people whose philosophy aligns with ours. I was very fascinated by designers like Ilse Crawford, whose whole focus is the impact of design on human emotions and wellbeing.

'From the very beginning, we’ve imagined design as having a broader social purpose – in our case, helping to preserve the craft.' It’s an approach that has attracted leading names who might otherwise have little reason to work with a small Bosnian brand. 'They see that there is a good team behind Zanat, that we can execute their vision. It’s not only about woodcarving – the joinery, the finishing, every detail has to be at the same level for the product to succeed.'

Other ten-year-anniversary pieces include a set of salt and pepper shakers by Naoto Fukasawa with hand-carved tactile grooves; a small table by Michele De Lucchi; a playful fruit bowl by Wingårdhs; a wine bucket and stand by StudioIlse (a type of object that the studio's head of product design, Oskar Peña, notes is often overlooked); a vase that fuses glass and wood by Sebastian Herkner; and a series of small textured containers by Yves Behar.

All are made using a combination of modern CNC technology and traditional handcarving techniques that are taught and practised at Zanat’s Konjic HQ. When we visit on an October morning, sunlight streams through the windows of the carving room, where a mix of master craftsmen and younger apprentices – both male and female – are earnestly hammering and scraping away at planks of locally harvested ash, cherry, oak and walnut.

Zanat’s commitment to training extends beyond the workshop. The company recently launched a woodcarving academy in partnership with the Academy of Arts in Sarajevo, establishing a formal grading system to develop skills and attract a new generation of craftspeople.

Since its founding, Zanat has trained more than 70 young makers. 'When we started, it was almost exclusively a male profession,' says Niksic. 'Very, very few women throughout the history of the craft have practised. We've opened it to both without discrimination, and we've popularised it.'

At the nearby Konjic showroom, formerly the company’s workshop, craftsman Besim Niksic – Orhan's 89-year-old father – lives above the premises. Here, there is now a museum that proudly celebrates the region’s longstanding connection to woodcarving and offers visitors a chance to learn about Zanat's roots. The museum, opened in 2019, has since been honoured with the European Museum Academy’s premier award and named Best Slavic Museum by the Forum of Slavic Cultures.

In 2023, Zanat opened its first flagship store, Home of Zanat, inside Sarajevo’s National Art Gallery, where the ‘Zanat Ten’ exhibition is being held. Conceived not as a traditional showroom but as a cultural platform, the space connects directly to the gallery’s exhibition hall and regularly hosts events, talks and workshops that celebrate excellence in design, architecture and art. There’s even a small coffee bar, serving a locally roasted Zanat Blend, and plans for a specialist bookshop devoted to the same creative disciplines.

Craft remains at the heart of the brand, but the team is constantly developing new patterns and ideas that keep things fresh and engaging. For Niksic, the pieces presented at the ‘Zanat Ten’ exhibition embody the brand's decade-long journey – one in which the preservation of tradition and the pursuit of innovation remain inseparable.

'Our vision,' he says, 'is to become the world’s best and most innovative woodcarving company – to be the go-to name for handcrafted, sustainable design.' He adds, 'And I hope in doing that we can redefine what luxury means. For us, it's not about being pompous or flashy. It's about how things are made and how long they last.'

Home of Zanat, National Art Gallery
Zelenih beretki 8
Sarajevo 71000
Bosnia & Herzegovina