Labrica

Oakland Park, FL

LABRICA was conceived by Lorena Vasquez over a decade ago and, with the help of her son Ricardo and daughter Lorena, the dream became a reality in 2012.

We can’t imagine a better way to explain the contemporary American dream than with the story of LABRICA. Ricardo Vasquez was born in Guatemala, to a mother who always wanted to design and create furniture. Her love for aesthetics was instilled in Ricardo, eventually leading him to Italy to study furniture and the art of design. From there, he continued his schooling in Ft. Lauderdale, earning a Bachelor’s in Interior Design, while his sister meanwhile pursued economics.

Following school, Ricardo and his partner Cesar Conde created the acclaimed design firm, Casa Conde & Associates, yet Ricardo’s passion for furniture pushed him to create his own furniture designs alongside Cesar. It took patience and time, but Ricardo eventually convinced his sister to leave finance and join him in creating LABRICA in order to bring their mother’s dream to life. LABRICA’s first designs were exhibited in 2013.

LABRICA’s works are designed and made in both the United States as well as Guatemala, and the factory in Guatemala employs local carpenters and more women than almost any production facility in the country, regardless of industry. Even more impressive, LABRICA offers fair & equal pay along with healthcare benefits to its employees, thus raising the bar for all of Guatemala’s factories.

LABRICA sources all the wood species used in their production in coordination with government forestry officials to ensure the forests have a sustainable future. To express their collective gratitude, LABRICA employees gather every other year to plant trees and recognize the source of their livelihood and success.