Redefining Luxury
Quality is not a luxury, it is the very ethics of design
We reject the concept that crafted design is a luxury. For us, capturing an intangible moment of discovery is luxury. Attention to detail and workmanship when creating a design object from a high concept is not.
Nor is this just a component of the design process; it is the very ethics of design.
It is our ethics to put extensive time and care into the development and completion of a design project. This includes paying our artisans fairly for their service and materials. Our pricepoint reflects your investment in our design ethics.
Debunking the myth of perfection
Imperfections are a symbol of craft
In the post-industrial design era it is vital that we reclaim imperfections created through craft, not as defects, but by assigning a specific value to the making.
Hand crafting is the basis of sustainable production.
Slight differences between production batches are a healthy sign that an object is created to meet a specified demand, rather than an identical piece serially reproduced regardless of actual demand.
Inclusivity vs. Exclusivity
Know the rules before you bend the rules.
Creating an exclusive design begins with inclusivity. Exclusivity is achieved by navigating certain rules before bending them to work for an innovative concept.
And this cannot be done without collaboration and deep understanding.
Matter of Stuff team has a small core and a wide network of people that share our vision, values and design ethics. Our difference lies in the way we have fostered relationships with artisans, designers, manufacturers, writers, teachers, students, artists, gallerists, architects, thinkers, web developers, chefs, and yoga instructors. Our work not only takes inspiration from all these practitioners, but continually learns from them.
Promising intellectual generosity
Beauty is not produced in a vacuum.
We reject intellectual greed and privation as we believe creativity only flourishes when information on production methodology and research is shared freely.
We approach our work from the point of intellectual prosperity and therefore we are generous with our knowledge and research.
We share our philosophy, research, and network with collaborators and clients, alike.
Integrity in sourcing
Working with like-minded people.
Our production partners specifically contains small to medium scale, family-run artisanal factories who understand our ethics and philosophy and actively take part in the research of tailor made solutions.
When a family-run business is not a viable option, we opt for networks of artisans or cooperatives that value teamwork, share resources and reinvest their profits in R&D and technology.
We open the doors to our partner factories to reconnect to the source of the materials we present to our clients to remind ourselves where things come from and bare in mind the integrity of their origins.
Highlighting materiality
A sense of touch reflects a sense of taste.
Materiality is at the core of our approach, the starting point of our research and the aim of the physical objects we produce. The haptic qualities of materials, together with the aesthetic illusions new materials create in both viewer and user generate a new and unexpected sense of beauty.
Seeing a new material for the first time generates fascination that comes from uncertainty. What is it made of? Is it natural? Is it carved, painted, lacquered?
These are the questions we are frequently asked when presenting new materials or objects, and we love to explain the insights that cast new light on their potential uses.
Decoding the narrative of an object
Design communicates stories.
We combine international designer’s ideas and artisan’s expertise. Our mission is to decode the multiple narratives that exist between an object’s material and its craftsmanship, its finish and its raw origins in the quarry.
One hand feeds the other and the synergy between the two hands creates objects with many stories to tell. In fact, it’s the stories behind every object that makes them special. The thinking and the making of a product together communicate more than just materials and shapes.
