Crafted with quality and style

Today, young designers are showing they can beautify the world and reduce environmental impacts through renewable materials. They use social media like Facebook as their business platform and their customers go from just a few friends to hundreds of buyers almost overnight.

While the wine industry is moving away from cork to screw caps to synthetic stoppers, Supawadee Kaewkum finds lightweight cork’s natural properties of flexibility and impermeability perfect for briefcases and handbags. She set up her own brand Mazmoizelle – pronounced “mademoiselle” – a year ago but only started to use this alternative material three months back. Her efforts have paid off as she’s received 1,500 likes on her Facebook page in a matter of weeks.

“I got hooked on the cork wedges used for shoes. It comes in a sheet and is available in a variety of beautiful textures and doesn’t crack or peel. It’s also water-resistant, which is why it’s used to seal bottles. When it’s dirty, it can be rubberised.” says Supawadee, an industrial design graduate of King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, who also owns ZM Bangkok shop on Siam Square Soi 10.

“Cork has antimicrobial properties and also repels insects and fends off fungus. It’s flexible and strong enough to be made into fabric that can be sewn. In addition to its beautiful and natural look, it comes from the outer bark of a cork oak tree, which is stripped off, leaving the rest of the tree intact. It’s relatively easy to recycle, which adds to its sustainability,” she says.

Mazmoizelle brand offers a collection of briefcases, handbags, shoulder bags, clutches and purses and iPhone cases ranging in price from Bt590 to Bt3,300. Designed for both sexes, the handmade bags are supported by either light or hard frames and padded with fabric or leather, so buyers are assured of good cutting and durability. Some shoulder bags have inside compartments with zips.

Despite being lightweight, the Mazmoizelle briefcase can carry 10 kg and a 15-inch notebook computer will slide inside. The shoulder bag, which has a weight capacity of seven kg, can also fit everything the design-savvy girl-about-town needs when she’s on the go, no matter whether it’s an iPad or a 13-inch MacBook air.

With her eccentric yet functional portable speakers for an iPod or MP3 player, Chatporn Ninthummachart has so far drawn 4,000 “likes” on her Facebook page and fans are always keen to follow the updates to her products under the Re+Pair brand.

Her family runs a spa business so Chatporn had no problem accessing the small plastic containers of spa oil that had been thrown away and breathing new life into them 

“I’m always using my iPod to listen to music and that inspired me to transform this lightweight container into an eye-catching speaker. No battery is required since it runs off the iPod’s juice. Just plug it into your player and rock to your tunes. Obviously, it doesn’t replace an excellent stereo sound system but it’s a great companion on a trip,” says Chatporn, an art graduate of Chiang Mai University.

Painted attractively in pink, blue and purple, her funky speakers cost Bt550 each and have grabbed the attention of buyers with green minds. The used plastic bottles of nail varnish remover from the family spa have now morphed into speakers too.

“My younger sister was going to study aboard and wanted some unique souvenirs that spelt Thainess but were functional at the same time. Her need inspired me to turn a sticky rice bamboo basket into a speaker and that attracted many foreign buyers,” says Chatporn whose products are also available at Loft, Propaganda, Eco Shop and B2S.

Her latest product is a table lamp made from leftover woods with a shade fashioned from a noodle strainer.

“I like to keep the original forms of the materials but just change their functions,” she says.

Thanks to its minimalist yet classy design, Mink’s collection of wristwatches that go for just Bt900 to Bt1,000 has already caught the eyes of buyers both at home and abroad. Mink’s has no actual shop but you can join its 14,000 fans at its Facebook page. 

The brand is the brainchild of the partners Thepsawarin Tapientong, who horned her skills in marketing from Burapha University and Ekkachai Klomcharoen, a graduate in product design from Silpakorn University.

The couple’s first product line is wooden furniture and home accessories and includes chairs, coat hangers as well as floor and table lamps. The leftover wood is used in the brand’s smaller pieces, among them the dials of wristwatches and accessories like pendants and pins in the shape of penguins, deer, cats, dogs and whales.

“All our products are meticulously made by hand and we try to bring out the unique texture and the grain of wood through simplicity in design,” says Ekkachai.

 

THIS WAY FOR TALENT

>> The collections of Mazmoizelle, Re+Pair and Mink’s will be shown together with another 50 local lifestyle brands at the Talent Thai booth as part of the BIG&BIH 2012 fair being held from October 16 to 21 at Bitec Bangna.

>> Check out “Mazmoizelle” page on Facebook or call (085) 557 5721.

>> Find out more about “Re+Pair” on Facebook or call (084) 500 7831.

>> Discover minimalist products at “Mink’s” on Facebook or call (087) 585 7652.