LCW 19: Beyond Paper – The Craft of Material Making at G.F.Smith

Posted on June 17, 2019 by Toothpicker

I have been wanting to visit paper specialist G . F Smith‘s showroom since it opened in 2016, but somehow never got round to it. The London craft week provided me the opportunity to visit the showroom as well as the new exhibition ‘Beyond Paper – The Craft of Material Making’ co-organised by MaterialDriven, a design agency and Material Library. The exhibition presented a collection of new, experimental materials that are at the forefront of design and sustainability.

G . F Smith & Son was founded by paper merchant George Frederick Smith in 1885. And for nearly 140 years, the company has been providing the finest speciality papers to the creative and fashion industries. Their Soho 4,000 sq ft showroom features a 14m-long collection wall displaying their paper in 50 Colorplan shades, accompanied by paper installations that change regularly.

The company’s long-time collaborator Made Thought not only designed the colour wall but also the corporate identity that was awarded D&AD “BLACK” Pencil for Brand Expression in 2015 (see below).

For those who think paper is ‘dead’, they probably have yet to visit this stunning and inspiring showroom.

At the exhibition space downstairs, the display included a wide range of sustainable and experimental materials that reflect the current landscape of making across fashion, interiors, architecture, and graphics.

Some of the innovative materials at the show are as follows: ‘That’s Caffeine’ tiles made from used coffee grounds and biodegradable resin by industrial designer Atticus Durnell; recycled polystyrene by designer Sam Lander; Papertile made from 100% post-consumer recycled paper by design duo Jasna Sokolovic and Noel O’Connell; textiles made from upcycled seashore plastic by De Ploeg; and Ecopet, a recycled polyester fibre made from plastic bottles etc.

It is always encouraging to see designers and makers using waste materials to produce new and biodegradable materials are not harmful to the planet. We certainly need more innovations and collaborations in this sector as a way of conserving our raw materials and preventing further damage to our highly polluted planet.

To be continued…

Natural and eco-friendly: Charcoal

Posted on August 16, 2013 by Toothpicker

Unlike other e-tailers, I rarely promote our products on this blog, but this time, I feel the need to write a bit more about charcoal and our newly launched product, Sumi eco KuKKu shoe deodorisers made from recycled charcoal paper. This is our second eco-friendly charcoal product from Japan, after Chikuno cube, launched last year.

So why charcoal? The truth is charcoal has been used in Asia esp. Japan for thousands of years, and in recent years, it is frequently being sold and used a natural water filter, air purifier, dehumidifier and deodoriser ( some Japanese also like to place it in their beer). This is because charcoal has many tiny cavities, creating a massive surface area which can attach different substances ( like mould, moisture, odour, particulates and chemicals in the air and water) to their walls, then release them later. Studies show that one gram of charcoal has a surface area of about 250 m2. Some other scientific studies have also discovered that charcoal made from bamboo can even absorb electromagnetic waves from TV, computers and mobile phones.

What about the problem of mass deforestation? Actually many of the charcoal products are made from bamboo, the fastest growing plant on the planet. The Chikuno cube we carry is made of bamboo charcoal, and when we were showing our products at the East London design show last December, many visitors were intrigued by its appearance due to the microscopic honeycomb structure. I was even told by a visitor that she has one at home and it works wonders for her, which was encouraging to know.

I came across Sumi eco KuKKu shoe deodoriser online a few months ago and thought it is a very unique product. Not only it is natural and eco-friendly ( because it is made from industrial waste and recycled pulp), it also looks fun and most importantly, it is a functional product. I was lucky to have made some important business contacts while I was at the gift fair in Tokyo earlier in the year, and thanks to the help of Susumu-san, I was able to negotiate a deal with the manufacturer, Sanyo Paper Co., Ltd., a sustainable paper manufacturer in Japan. Originally I was told that the products are only for promotional purposes and are not for sale, but luckily, Susumu-san managed to persuade them to do a trial with us.

The world’s natural resource scarcity is becoming more apparent and alarming, we can no longer turn a blind eye to how we consume and live esp. in the developed world. Whether we are consumers, retailers/ e-tailers, manufacturers and designers, we all have responsibilities to protect the environment we live in. Although not all our products are eco-friendly, we always pay attention to the material used and manufacturing processes, and we will continue to support companies or designers that are trying to make a positive impact on our planet.

Hong Kong’s secondhand bookstores

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Toothpicker

While poverty is a growing issue in Hong Kong, it is still a city of plenty for many. Consumption is a way of life, but the mindset for recycling is still not very popular nor widespread.

A few years ago, I started to change my buying habit and cut down my consumption on non-essential items like fashion, dvds, cds and books. I started to rent films from online film rental company or the local library, downloaded music from itune, sold unwanted fashion items, books & cds on ebay and Amazon, and even joined book exchange clubs. Instead of accumulating more things, I am finally getting rid of them, slowly but surely.

Top left, bottom left & middle: Flow books; Top right & bottom right: The Book Attic

In Hong Kong, it is not easy to run secondhand bookstores especially because of the outrageous property rental prices; hence, it is almost a miracle to find these bookstores still around! But thanks to the persistence and passion of their owners, these bookstores are attracting more supporters and making people become aware of the importance of recycling and living with ‘less’!

Here are some that are making a difference in this city:

The Book Attic ( Cockloft, 2 Elgin Street, Central) – I first visited The Book Attic when it was still located in Wan Chai, but sadly it had to move because of regeneration in the area and the landlord took the opportunity to increase the rent outrageously. The owner, Jennifer ( a passionate book lover and collector) told me that the landlord would rather have the space empty than to settle for a lower amount ( which is surprisingly common in Hong Kong). It took her a while and help from her loyal customers to find this new upstairs location in SoHo.

The book shop is bright, tidy, quiet and specialises in English books. Most books are in excellent and like-new condition, and donors would get discounts when they purchase books here. Not sure if it is a coincidence or it is related to Jennifer’s Buddhist background, but there is very good selection of books on Buddhism and spirituality here (* Update: the book shop closed in Feb 2014 and there is no further notice on when or if it will reopen again).

Flow books ( 1A Wing On building, 38 Hollywood Road, Central) – Flow has been in business for over 12 years and has moved from Lyndhurst Terrace to Hollywood Road ( twice) recently. Although more cramped and less organised than The Book Attic, Flow sells a wide range of books and dvds ( slightly more mainstream and with an emphasis on fiction), and provides free dvds and books rental regularly to their customers.

Top left & main: Books & Co.; Top middle & right: Collectables

Collectables ( 2/F, 11 Queen Victoria Street, Central) – When I first discovered this secondhand books and music shop, I was quite stunned by its record collection and its hidden but central location ( in the middle of Central)! This shop has been around for 21 years and has the largest vinyl collection in town. There are also a wide range of classical, jazz, soundtracks and world music cds, art house and foreign language dvds and even old magazines. The book selection and condition is also very good with both English and Chinese books available.

Coffee books/ Books & Co. ( G/F, 10 Park Road, Mid-Levels) – this rather unknown secondhand bookshop and cafe is one of a kind in Hong Kong. It feels like it could be in Europe or U.K. because of its laid back and low-key atmosphere. The selection of books here is wide, ranging from educational to cookery, travel, fiction, non-fiction, hobbies and children, with cds and dvds available as well. Aside from coffee, tea and cakes, the cafe also serves simple dishes at lunch time ( catering mainly for students nearby). It is so rare to find a quiet and ‘slow’ place in this city these days, so this cafe is ideal for those who want to relax, read, linger, and pretend that you are sitting inside an antique bookshop in Europe rather than a fast-paced Hong Kong.

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Tag Archives: recycling

LCW 19: Beyond Paper – The Craft of Material Making at G.F.Smith

Natural and eco-friendly: Charcoal

Hong Kong’s secondhand bookstores