Made in Asia, in a good way

I avoid selling products in the Lunalux store from American companies that are manufactured overseas. Even before recent headlines exposed lax standards employed by Chinese manufacturers, I’ve been down on this business model. It’s hard for Little Old Us to hold our ground when mega-retailers sell cheap but charming stationery products that were printed in Taiwan. I’m not always vigilant, we do carry a few lines in our shop that bear the “Made in China” imprint. But I prefer to offer goods that are made in Asia in a good way – companies that are designing cool stuff and getting it made on their home turf, then selling to a global marketplace. We’ve received orders from several such companies in recent weeks.

Millimeter/Milligram popped up on my radar a few months ago, but it took me a while to figure out how to buy from this Korean company. They’ve finally got a US distributor, making it easy for us to order their products without the hassles of conversion rates or overseas shipping. The designs are fresh and retro-inspired, so all you hipsters will flip for the notebooks, leather business card cases, and spiral-bound to-do lists. And pens. And greeting cards. And more.

The String Doll Gang have been hot sellers ever since we brought them into the shop a few years ago. Our inventory dwindled over the summer, but we just got a big shipment that includes old favorites (Crazy Eyes, Colin the Pirate) and new characters (Cowboy Bill, The Enforcer). Click on the picture at the right to see and enlarged group portrait of Some French Guy (with a baguette tucked beneath his gauche arm), Buster (who promises to “keep you out of the doctors office and in the game”), and Bella (like all good punk rock String Dolls, she sports some great body jewelry!). These wee creatures are hand-crafted in Thailand, so each is a unique 2.5-inch-tall work of art.

We just got a new shipment of Japanese stationery as well. I’m particularly fond of the two designs at the left; the Three Baby Pigs pack features 4 envelope and lettersheet designs, all starring, you know, Baby Pigs. The Honey Bee set boasts classic Japanenglish: “Do you know birds with a tender heart? Tenderness that blue birds taught me. The nature is our treasure. My mind begins to soak in the color of the sky.” I’m pretty sure you want to buy this!