EMTE Textil and the legacy after Margit Thorén
At Svenskt Tenn, Thorén was colleagues with Edna Martin who, in 1943, suggested they both become partners in the company Edna Martin Textil, which she was planning to start. Thorén accepted the offer, and through her network of architects, interior designers and skilled weavers around Sweden, they combined artistic vision with a high level of craftsmanship.
After Edna Martin became a designer at Svensk Hemslöjd in 1945, Thorén took over the company alone and renamed it EMTE Textil after her own initials. Under her leadership, EMTE Textil produced upholstery fabrics, curtains and printed fabrics for public environments such as hospitals, schools, hotels and banks.
Some of Thorén’s most well-known works from the 1940s are those she created for Svenskt Tenn and Estrid Ericson. The Gripsholmsruta fabric, the Schackruta rug, and the Vägen furniture fabric, remain to this day, timeless classics in Svenskt Tenn’s range.
