Bynd Artisan founders on the art of living well

Bynd Artisan celebrates a spirit of artisanal excellence, something which has become more prevalent in the public consciousness in recent years. Why do you think there’s now a greater appreciation of craft and artisanal handmade items?

Each artisanal hand-crafted item is unique and has its own story. Consumers nowadays have greater awareness of their purchases and wish to be connected with brands, to understand the process behind the design, and where materials are sourced. The younger generation is also starting to appreciate the beauty of craftsmanship and want to understand traditional techniques for making things. Traditional crafting will always be cherished — it’s timeless.

Winnie, all this started from your grandfather’s bindery workshop back in 1942. How has his legacy impacted the way Bynd Artisan works today?

Having grown up in a family of stationery makers has definitely sparked my love for old-school stationery products. In the past, my grandfather’s business focused on traditional paper and leather goods in a wholesale business format – designing, manufacturing, and distribution to wholesalers. With Bynd Artisan, we are bringing our designs and products to both retail customers and corporate clients. Old businesses had a way of collaborating with their peers. Bynd Artisan builds on that togetherness and continues to seek out like-minded partners to come up with something new and interesting.

Bynd Artisan was born in a time when technology was quickly evolving, so many products such as diaries and books were becoming irrelevant. As more businesses were incorporating digitalisation, I saw the need to preserve the artful craft of bookbinding, letter-type pressing and leather making. I wanted stationery to be viewed in a different light.

What is your own personal definition of living well?

Living well to us means having the time and energy to do the things we are passionate about and supporting the causes that are meaningful to us. We believe this approach to living well is how we can also help improve the lives of people around us, and hopefully contribute to the greater good.

How do you and James practise the notion of living well in your everyday lives?

In practice, that includes being intentional and disciplined with our time so that we are able to do self-care, discover new experiences and forge meaningful connections.

In recent years, Bynd Artisan has expanded its range to include lifestyle products. Can you tell us more about that?

We founded Bynd Artisan as we wanted to offer our audience a luxurious range of leather and paper products that not only stand the test of time, but can also be personalised with their names and complement their daily lives.

Our products are all thoughtfully designed and made for practicality — we anticipate what customers need, while staying true to Bynd Artisan’s DNA of personalising and handcrafting the perfect gift.

For instance, we came up with the Leather Hand Sanitiser Holder and Token & Key Holder with Lanyard shortly after the pandemic broke out. It was such a difficult time in the beginning during the initial lockdown, so we wanted to create something that’s both functional and stylish to add a little cheer. It was also a nice way to send love and remind each other to stay safe, so they became widely popular immediately.

The Hygge Pouch, too, is a favourite. It’s another example of us putting ourselves in the shoes of our customers and seeing their needs. The pouch is perfect for quick errands — _it has front and zip pockets to keep business cards, all the key essentials, and even a band to loop around your notebook.

Any personal favourites from the lifestyle range?

James: Mine has to be the Metropolitan Work Pad. We came up with that while working from home during the lockdown. It’s a practical solution to have your coffee cup, mouse and mobile phone all on one sleek leather pad.

Winnie: My personal favourite would be our Uplifting Leather Tags, which has been such a great way for me to entertain at home. I invite each guest to choose their intention, which includes words like “Gratitude”, “Joy”, “Wisdom” and “Dream” and I use the leather tags to label our wine glasses. It sets the tone for good energy.

One of the things Bynd Artisan is known for is its active collaborations with local makers. Can you tell us more?

We work with artists and designers with shared values to create limited edition designer capsule collections. This has always been an enjoyable process for us because through these collaborations, we are able to combine the different strengths and expertise of both parties.

These collections give our collaborators an additional platform to showcase their talents. Together, we seek to add greater vibrancy to the art scene and promote creative talent beyond their usual realm.

Last but not least: what’s coming up next?

We shall be working on more interesting collaborations, and there could be one with an international brand. We should also be restarting our talks for overseas branches soon. Stay tuned.

For more information, please visit www.byndartisan.com.