When I first arrived in Germany, some of my earliest freelance collaborations came through a network of incredibly supportive women in Berlin.

Among them was Anna-Liisa Reppo, the designer and woodworker behind Berlin Wood Sisters.

Anna-Liisa works with waste wood and approaches making with a strong respect for material, resourcefulness and craftsmanship. Berlin Wood Sisters grew from that philosophy into more than a woodworking practice: it became a space for girls, women and FLINTA* to learn, make and connect with one another without the intimidation that can sometimes surround traditionally male-dominated craft environments.

Her approach is refreshingly simple:

work with what already exists, understand the material, and allow its constraints to shape the outcome.

That thinking became the foundation of the brand.

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One of the key visual references was Tumi Ishi Japanese-inspired wooden balancing stones made from irregular, faceted blocks.

Unlike conventional wooden toys, the pieces are deliberately uneven. Their character comes from their asymmetry.

They can be stacked in countless ways, requiring attention, balance and experimentation.

That felt very close to the philosophy of Berlin Wood Sisters.

Every piece of waste wood starts differently.

Its grain, dimensions, colour and imperfections determine what it can become.

Rather than forcing the material into a predetermined shape, the designer responds to what is already there.

The irregular polygon therefore became an important visual motif for the identity.

It represents:

material.
balance.
individuality.
imperfection.
craft.
possibility.

The Logo

The Berlin Wood Sisters identity combines an irregular geometric container with a refined typographic wordmark.

The polygon references the faceted shapes created when working and carving wood. Rather than using a perfect circle or square, the uneven outline gives the identity a more tactile, handmade quality.

Inside it, the typography creates contrast.

The expressive arrangement of WOOD gives the mark personality while the more delicate treatment of sisters introduces softness and a sense of community.

The result sits somewhere between:

workshop and design studio.
precision and imperfection.
craft and contemporary culture.

That tension became an important part of the visual language.

A brand identity shaped by the same principle as the objects themselves: embrace irregularity, respect the material and find balance through constraint.