Kayu which means "wood" in Malay was inspired by my childhood spent in South East Asia. Inspired by the incredible craftsmanship I witnessed in the region, I created KAYU in 2011 with a focus on sustainable materials, responsible manufacturing and philanthropy.

In an age where it is easy to buy cheaply made, inexpensive items that arrive within 24 hours, there is something special about making products the way they were made generations ago. By hand, meticulously and with grace.

At Kayu, we continue to embrace the philosophy of slow living, working with weavers in the Philippines and third generation sandal makers in Greece who imbue our accessories with the touch of their hands. Our straw remains 100% natural not synthetic. The majority of ‘straw’ on the market is made of plastic which stays in our ecosystem forever. Our bags are made from natural straw that has been harvested, dyed and woven by hand. All our leather is vegetable tanned which means no chemicals are used in their processing.

As we enter into another decade in this business, we remain committed to making conscious choices for a better future.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.

xx,

Jamie Lim.