Designer Files | Shaku
Today we speak to mother daughter duo, Shaku which is a scarf and homeware brand that celebrates uncompromising quality.
We speak to the brand founders on the commitment of sustainability, why they chose scarves and homeware and more. Please read on.
1.What does sustainability mean to you?
Sustainability is a huge commitment and we considered the concept for quite a while. Looking at how we work and what we strive for, we realised there are three key values that we actively pursue: responsibility, conscious quality and unconditional respect. These values have led us to follow initiatives such as minimising textile waste by repurposing dead stock fabrics, no mass production, choosing our manufacturing partners with care so as to work with materials and processes that are not so harmful to the environment.
2. Why luxury accessories and homeware?
They are never out of fashion! Accessories such as scarves can last years, becoming heirloom pieces to be passed onto the next generation. In fact I still have scarves gifted to me decades ago that my daughters often borrow.
As for homeware, when I’m buying something for my home, I don’t worry about the products being in season, rather it’s the colour and design that matters.
3. We love your prints. Please tell us about your process for this. What informs them?
It’s always the colours that capture my eye. When I see flowers, I see their delicacy, their beauty and I am inspired to bring them to life on a canvas of my own. Through different media, such as gouache, watercolours and pencils, I experiment with the pigments to recreate the flowers as much as I can.
4. How do you keep your fabric choice sustainable?
We follow our principles of responsibility, conscious quality and unconditional respect. So we work with manufacturers who work hard to integrate environmentally conscious processes. When we do look at creating a product, we work with our manufacturers to choose fabric of high quality and ensure they are printing with non-toxic dyes for example.
5. How did you get started? Why a mother and daughter duo. What inspired you to professionally get together?
We were working together before this, and when I decided to pursue my art – my daughter offered to help. And here we are!
6. Your scarves are joyful. Is this intentional and what is your aim with them?
Thank you! They are my expression, my art. With flowers, they are either bought freshly cut and put in a vase, or framed as a piece of art. I love how scarves can make flowers more than something pretty to look at, they can be worn in multiple ways so you are – quite literally – wrapped in art.
7. If we buy one thing from you what should we make it?
All my products are pieces of art in their own right. From candles with gorgeous hand drawn decals, or a stunning floral silk scarf – choose the piece that speaks to you.
8. How do you best marry sustainability and luxury design and product wise?
For me, true luxury is a natural consequence of respecting craftsmanship and holding artisan practices to a high standard. In so doing, we work with the finest craftsmen and some of the most beautiful materials. These craftsmen and materials are held to such high standards that they too follow sustainable practices. What you end up with is a product that is of such high quality, it should last for generations.
Secondly, when you have such beautiful materials at your disposal, we try not waste any of it. So we have created a whole realm of upcycled products, where leftover or deadstock materials are given a second life. Even our candles are poured into bone china pots, that can be popped in the dishwasher and reused to store teabags, plants, or even jewellery!
9. Who is the Shaku customer?
Our customer is someone who adores art and places great value on beautiful pieces made from the heart. It’s not fast fashion, and it’s not about the label – it’s about falling into the world according to Shaku.
10. Finish the sentence…. Shaku is synonymous with?
Flowers!
Kind thanks to the brand for this interview. Shop Shaku here.