By Vicki Matranga
Design Programs + Services
Get to know the people behind the stylish products that will appear at the 2014 International Home + Housewares Show in Discover Design. We’ll be posting conversations 
with exhibitors to give you a glimpse of the inspirations, influences and ideas that go into creating the exciting products that you’ll see in March at McCormick Place.
Today we get acquainted with finum by Riensch & Held GmbH & Co. KG. Headquartered in Germany, the company was founded by A. Riensch in 1845. For the last three decades, it has focused on the worldwide growing market of household filters. Whereas it once imported coffee and exported machinery, Riensch & Held now holds a leading role in the manufacture of biodegradable tea filters as well as elegant serving accessories. The finum product line includes stylish, quality drinkware with unique filtering components for both tea and coffee. Finum items have been honored with the Red Dot and other design awards. The finum turtle has been the firm´s trademark since the 1800s and symbolizes quality and continuity.
Today we are speaking with Christian Justus, Managing Partner of Riensch & Held GmbH & Co. KG. Mr. Justus founded the finum brand and has designed most of finum´s award-winning and patented products.
Mr. Justus, what is the inspiration behind the design and functionality of your products?
As an enthusiastic consumer of loose-leaf teas I like to blend them myself. I want to prepare my teas in the urban setting of my regular life. Thus, I looked for an easy way that at the same time allowed me to control the brewing process by monitoring the expansion of the leaves and the spreading of the aroma. For example, simply screwing the lid of our recently launched TRAVELER ZITA™ closes the tumbler and traps the tea. This way TRAVELER ZITA™ controls the brewing at any desired point so the taste is uncompromised. With this combination of quality and convenience, I wish to fulfill the needs of contemporary design-oriented and health-conscious people around the globe. This durable and elegant double-wall tumbler is made from BPA-free Tritan™ and its Tea Control™ Kit avoids the waste of unnecessary tea bags.
Our upcoming spice grinder, LOOK TOUCH TASTE™, is a good example of how simple products can be unique and set new standards. Its base contains a patented discharge pool which collects the ground spices. Tap the grinder to direct the desired amount of spices precisely where you want it!
Can you point to any designers who have inspired you?
Until recently, I created every design almost without professional assistance. Only when I started on the new TRAVELER ZITA™ project, I turned to some well-known designers from Hamburg—the BFGF Design Studio. Together we managed to bring out the best in ourselves. We strongly believe that ZITA™ will be perceived as a masterpiece, which may convince people that tea is so much more fun than what they had known in the past. I conceived the LOOK TOUCH TASTE™ spice grinder, but designer Anneke Bieger added her elegant touch. Anneke and my company are now developing additional objects which shall make a difference in the tabletop category.
Design and form are essential for differentiating our products in the market. Today’s consumers are very visually oriented and connect with global cultural trends via the internet. We create products to suit their lifestyles.
What does your company offer the Industry?
finum® is our brand. Our company Riensch & Held GmbH & Co.KG is a well-established filter manufacturer in Hamburg, Germany. Our constantly updated and unique line of high quality accessories for tea, coffee and spices as well shows why this company is so well-known and successful on an international level. Our slogan is ´´finum® do yourself a flavor…´´
Thank you, Mr. Justus, for sharing your company’s philosophy and aims. We look to forward seeing your exciting new products at the Show.
Visit Finum in Discover Design in booth S3674. View their range of distinctive coffee and tea products at
Discover Design is the premier design destination at the International Home + Housewares Show. Located in the South Building, the invitation-only category features more than 100 exhibitors from around the world. Companies driven by innovation and design present distinctive products and collections in Tabletop, Gift, Textiles and Home Décor categories. The Discover Design Gallery, accessible to buyers and media, features select products that are entries in the Global Innovation Award (gia) for Design. Learn more about Discover Design exhibitors and their products by checking Housewares Connect 365 at
