Scandi brands have a reputation for practical solutions, considered design and minimalist aesthetics – but that’s not to say they don’t know how to do it without personality. Across Sweden and Denmark, a new wave of lifestyle brands is reworking the everyday with warmth, humour and intention, from candles that don’t smell like a shopping mall, to bathrobes designed to last a lifetime, intimacy products providing comfort without the cringe, and socks that do better by the planet. Featuring AMOLN, Bongusta, Act of Caring, Sitre and AYDO, these are the labels proving that considered design and feeling good go hand in hand.
AMOLN
I don’t know about you, but my nose can’t take another Yankee candle, so please try this instead, I beg. Founded in Malmö, Sweden in 2019 by Jonas and Aice Bergholm, Amoln is a personal care brand that combines contemporary Scandinavian design with soulful fragrances. Each ingredient is ethically sourced and crafted by artisans with centuries-old, cruelty-free traditions, respecting people, animals, and the environment.
BRICKS fave: Monochromatic Blue Collection, Sleepless candle – €65
BONGUSTA
Wave goodbye to your basic bathroom essentials because Bongusta is here to inject some joy into your bog. As the homeware industry increasingly mirrors the pace of fast fashion, the label takes a different approach, embracing slow design that values longevity over novelty and character over trends. Colours and patterns are not seasonal statements but lasting signatures, returning year after year so favourites can be rediscovered, replaced, or built upon over time. Based in Ebeltoft, Denmark, the pieces are crafted in small batches from natural fibres and recycled cotton, with each piece designed for durability, comfort, and daily use, while minimising environmental impact. Bongusta is less about keeping up, and more about creating things worth keeping.
BRICKS fave: Naram Bathrobe in Baby Pink & Ski Patrol, £160.
ACT OF CARING
Swedish care and repair brand, Act of Caring, makes skincare for your objects. The label believes that individually, we can all be part of a mindset shift regarding the products we buy and how we care for them. “It’s such a rewarding feeling to take care of something well,” the label tells BRICKS during CIFF, one of Europe’s largest, longest-running, and most influential fashion trade shows. Their products come exclusively from the plant kingdom and are scented with essential oils to give you a wonderful experience when you take care of your beloved belongings.
BRICKS Fave: Protecting Leather Balm, £24.
SITRE
Born in Denmark, Sitretakes a refreshingly honest approach to intimacy, one that’s inclusive, caring, and free of clichés. Through thoughtfully made products and authentic storytelling, the brand speaks to everyone, across bodies, genders, ages, and sexualities. Because intimacy isn’t niche, and feeling good deserves the highest standard. So go fuck yourself, babe.
BRICKS fave: Body melt, £43.
AYDO
It’s time to treat your feet. AYDO is built on a simple belief that your essentials don’t have to be boring. The brand creates everyday pieces that refuse to fade into the background. With 90% of production energy powered by solar panels and materials carefully researched before use, AYDO is thoughtful about how things are made and the impact they leave behind.
BRICKS fave: Tennis light cotton sock in milk and new sky, £10.30.
Enjoyed this story? Help keep independent queer-led publishing alive and unlock the BRICKS Learner Platform, full of resources for emerging and aspiring creatives sent to you every week via newsletter. Start your 30-day free trial now.