The seeds of Sort Of Coal were sown upon a chance discovery of White Charcoal in the streets of Kyoto as the intriguing material caught the creative eye of Danish ceramic artist Louise Vilsgaard. Introducing her friend, commercial film producer Pernille Lembcke, to her extraordinary discovery, they soon went on to develop a philosophy for a new company that would bring the finest White Charcoal, known throughout Asia for its beneficial powers, to a brand new Western audience.

Extensive testing and product development followed, as the ancient traditions surrounding White Charcoal were exhaustively explored. In 2004 the company’s original product, KISHU BINCHOTAN, was ready to be offered as a test to restaurants and retailers in Denmark. Restaurant Noma in Copenhagen, now four times the World’s Best Restaurant, was among the first to incorporate charcoal products from Sort Of Coal in their food and interior design. The company was properly founded in 2006, and more and more people everywhere are still catching on these aesthetic products and the power of one of the oldest materials in the world. Sort Of Coal works with a small network of trusted suppliers, each of them dedicated to the idea of outstanding design and eco-gentle production.