Rex Kralj is established in 2012 as an homage, in both name and style, to mid-century architect Niko Kralj (1920-2013). Kralj is considered to be one of the first ever industrial furniture designers. Rex Kralj is a contraction of Rex, which is the name of Niko`s most famous chair, and Kralj, the designers last name.

With over two million chairs produced, Niko Kralj`s designs have served numerous generations.

The company expands on this legacy by following his design principles of authentic, humanistic design. New designers contribute to the expansion of the Rex Kralj portfolio with products which embody this tenet and the ambition to inspire every architect in the world, with design that serves people.

Rex Kralj`s approach to aesthetics, durable design and hospitality is expressed in high-quality production methods. From its headquarters in Ljubljana, Slovenia they manage their manufacturing operations in Central Europe. Firmly rooted in local craftsmanship they use their skills and knowledge to create products that last and bring a lifetime of enjoyment.

Besides their ready to ship collection of iconic designs fitted for home, hospitality and contract, Rex Kralj is committed to offering customised, bespoke solutions to interior designers and architects.

Niko Kralj is undoubtedly the founder and one of the central figures of Slovenian post-war industrial design. As an internationally recognized design expert in the second half of the 20th century belonged to the most important industrial designers in the world. 
He was honored because of his numerous artistic creations, which left a mark on the world of design globally. He is also credited with exceptional merits for the development of post-war Slovenian furniture due to his extraordinary research and innovative work. In 1966 he founded the Institute of Design. At home as well as abroad, he filed and registered 118 patents and models and wrote 39 research papers. He was an innovator and an inventor in many fields, mostly in the field of construction and production efficiency. He looked at industrial design and innovation as an indivisible whole. 

His innovative solutions have given the world a few timeless pieces of furniture. A view in the list of his domestic and foreign awards testifies to the quality of his design creations. Products designed for large-scale production have been commercially very successful and produced in several hundred thousand pieces. Because of theirs timeless modernist forms Kralj's products belongs to the treasury of European modern classics. His chair Rex was granted the status of the artistic product through the adoption to the MOMA, Museum of Modern Art New York. 
In 1962 Niko Kralj received the highest Slovenian award for culture — the Prešeren Award — for his achievements in the field of architecture and design.

The story of the Rex collection begins in the 1950s with the Rex foldable chair. Its design incorporates innovation, functionality and beauty. Niko Kralj succeeded in developing the most comfortable chair of its kind by stretching the boundaries of bent plywood and minimising material use, while maintaining a focus on aesthetics. This resulted in an indispensable series of furniture that has stood the test of time: the Rex collection.

After the Second World War, traditional production methods gave way to modern inventions and led to a new era of furniture design. A trained architect and an absolute pioneer in his field, Niko Kralj developed truly innovative products with a timeless quality. His Rex, Shell and Mosquito collections remain the cornerstones of our brand today. By recrafting these designs, we are able to develop inspired products with his signature zeal, staying true to our mid-century roots.

Our products undergo constant renewal. We build on clever innovations from the past and adapt these to fit today’s needs. It brings a special kind of joy to work with genuine materials, old and new. By integrating new technology into our designs we aim to inspire architects around the world.  

Niko Kralj was a pioneer in the field of industrial furniture design. Befriended with leading characters such as Charles and Ray Eames and Buckminster Fuller, he explored and utilized new technologies. This culminated experience is an integral part of the Rex Kralj portfolio. A legacy of 50+ years of product improvement.