Quality over quantity.
ABOUT US
The Design Chess Company is a family business based in Finland. Founded in 2017, we began after several years of building long-term relationships with specialist makers—particularly in India for chess pieces, and in Europe for chess boards.
We are an online retailer focused on high-quality wooden chess pieces and chess boards. Our principles are:
- Uncompromising quality
- Personal service
- Responsibility
- Safe buying
- Customer satisfaction
PHILOSOPHY
“The details are not the details. They make the design.” – Charles Eames
For us, design is built from small decisions: proportions, edges, surface finish, and the way a piece feels in the hand. When these elements are resolved with care, the result reads as calm and intentional rather than decorative for its own sake.
At Design Chess, we focus on sets where craftsmanship is evident in the carving and finishing, and where the piece forms remain clean, consistent, and easy to distinguish during play. Material quality and surface work matter, but so does clarity on the board.
A chess set can be a functional playing set and a considered object in a room. We see these roles as connected: a design succeeds when it supports the game it is made for.
Our chess pieces are handcrafted in India, where individual pieces—especially the knight—require long, focused work to carve with repeatable shape and detail. Our chess boards are made in Europe, where wood selection and hand-inlaid squares define both the appearance of the grid and the overall finish of the board.
We value tradition, but we do not treat it as the opposite of contemporary design. The strongest results often come from combining established craft with a modern sense of restraint and proportion.
The same care applies to how we work with customers. We aim to keep communication straightforward and helpful, whether you are choosing between sizes and finishes or asking for guidance on a particular combination.
We want each purchase to remain satisfying over time, which is why our products are covered by a 3-year warranty.
OUR VALUES
At Design Chess, we prioritise quality over quantity. Our approach is based on long-term durability, respect for materials, and an appreciation for skilled handcraft rather than mass production.
We work with a small number of specialist makers in India, Italy, and Spain who share our expectations for quality and consistency. We value stable working communities where skills are developed over time and passed on within workshops from one generation to the next.
Partner selection is deliberate. We keep relationships direct and maintain ongoing dialogue on materials, finishing, and the details that affect both appearance and playability.
Our focus is on the product itself: wood selection, surface finish, and workmanship that holds up in regular use. We choose what we carry on quality first, and we keep the range curated rather than extensive.
SOCIAL VALUES
- We work with partners who provide lawful working conditions and fair pay.
- We do not accept child labour or forced labour in any part of our supply chain.
ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES
- We do not sell products made from woods or other materials classified as endangered.
- We do not sell products that include animal-derived parts (for example, camel bone).
- In our office, we minimise paper usage and avoid printing whenever possible.
