Over the years, local brands have established a niche market with quirky, trendy and high-quality products! Their personal stories and handmade touch have stolen the loyalty and hearts of many. From art prints to cute little handmade knick-knacks, jewelry, skincare, homeware, leather goods, and designer stationery, these artisans are making their dreams come alive every day and they are all about delivering their dreams to you through their creations! And we can say… they are on par with international brands!
Here are 5 local brands hailing from the Island of Borneo you must totally check out!
1. Left and Right
Left and Right is a Bornean jewelry brand founded by passionate and highly skilled designers Fabian Tan and Eileen Phoan. This brand that started out with just a shoe box of simple tools and beads has seen it’s outstanding metamorphosis into a renowned jewelry brand that crafts intricate and elegant wearable pieces and provides bespoke services have told countless personal and touching stories of friends, lovers and family through the jewelry making profession.
2. Aro Sarawak
ARO, in the Bisaya dialect simply means to have – to have beauty from true ingredients found in the deep rainforests of Borneo. This beauty skin care brand has will blow you away, bringing out your best glow from the inside out with their professionally formulated products ranging from soaps, scrubs to day and night creams and serums!
3. Koji Bands
Koji bands, named after the founder, Roana’s cat. If you have delicate long hair, you should totally check this Bornean Hair Band brand out! These beautiful hair bands came out of hair band dream world, ticking every box on your hair bands requirement list! They are soft and gentle hair bands, and creates less to no creasing in the hair! The one that will get you hooked on them is how beautiful they are, coming in an array of irresistible colors and prints! They look attractive as wristbands, so you always have a hair band handy when you need to tie up your hair!
4. Unixorne
Unixorne, where all mythical creatures live. But really, it’s the magical and fascinating mind of Azaira Wyiz, who founded this brand when she was 8. The brand carries adorable products ranging from mythical printed notebooks from Azaira’s sketches, art prints, love batteries, magic frogs, dragon seeds and magic wands to spell bind your heart!
5. Flint and Steel Borneo
Flint and Steel Borneo, is a designer stationery brand founded by twin sisters Marilyn and Rachel Ang. They call it the ‘Bedroom Dream’ that became reality, as really, it sparked out of a pillow talk that turned the bedroom into a work zone and the dream became a full-time job! Today the stationery line carries over 60 designed paper products with their timeless and sleek planners being their best selling products! Check them out if you’re looking for a planner for the coming year!
Which one of them will you be checking out? Leave a comment!
Header Source: Left&Right | Flint Steel and Borneo