About Calavena

A small studio, working on one hour of the day.

We make objects for the end of the evening — the part of the day that usually gets whatever is left over. There is only one of them so far, and we would rather it were very good than that there were ten.

How it started

Everything on the market either looked like hospital equipment or shouted at you in neon. Nothing looked like it belonged in a room you actually liked.

Calavena started the way most small things do — with an evening that had been earned and a product that ruined it. White plastic, a blinking display, a remote that had already gone missing, and a manual written by somebody who had never sat on a sofa.

So we started again from the room rather than from the feature list. What would you want to reach for at nine in the evening, with the lights low and something playing? It would be quiet. It would be warm to the touch. It would do one thing, well, and then stop.

Calavena, founders

See the object

Wide interior still
1400 x 930

Detail
800 x 800

How we work

Four rules we keep to.

Subtract first

Every feature has to earn its place against the cost of one more thing to think about. Most do not survive that test.

Made for low light

Warm materials, matte finishes and no bright screens. It should look right in a room lit by two lamps.

Say only what is true

We describe how it feels and how it is built. We do not make health promises, because we would not be able to stand behind them.

Small batches

We would rather sell out than sit on a warehouse of stock we had to talk people into.

What we actually sell

One object, at present. It is worn on the feet and calves, it runs on its own battery, and it delivers gentle electrical muscle stimulation — a technology that has been used in sport and physiotherapy for decades. Seven modes, fifteen intensity levels, one control, and a session that ends itself after fifteen minutes.

We describe it as something that feels good at the end of a long day, because that is what it is. It is a consumer wellness product, not a medical device, and we do not claim that it treats or prevents anything. If you are looking for treatment for a specific condition, please speak with a doctor rather than with us — we would rather lose the sale than mislead you.

How we choose what to make

We look for the same three things every time. It has to belong to the evening rather than the gym. It has to look like an object rather than a gadget. And it has to work without asking anything of you — no app, no pairing, no account.

Everything is sampled before it is ordered, and nothing goes on the site until we have lived with it for a season. That is slower than the alternative and it is the reason the collection is short.

Where we are

Calavena is an early-stage business working between Germany and the United States, our two founding markets. We are honest about the stage we are at: a small first batch, a short line, and founders who still answer the messages themselves.

That last part is not a growth tactic. It is simply true for now, and while it is true you should use it — write to us with anything at all.

Come and say hello

We would rather talk than sell.

If you are weighing it up, book fifteen minutes with us. No script, no pressure, and no follow-up unless you ask for one.

Book a call Write instead

Germany & United States Answered by a founder