YSTUDIO - 'The Weight of Words'

We introduced you to Taiwanese design studio, Ystudio, last year. Today, we are happy to announce that founders Yi and Yanko are expanding their range of simplistic, meticulously crafted stationery objects to include two new pens: The ‘Weight of Words’ collection will see the release of The Classic Sketching Pencil and The Classic Ballpoint Pen. The two new additions are made from brushed brass and will be available from April 1st.

‘The Weight of Words’
Yi and Yanko wish to remind us of the beautiful things that have been forgotten as time goes by. “The meaning of writing to modern people has gradually changed […] Writing has evolved from a way to convey words to a medium to express emotions. ‘Weight’ represents not only a deep emotion, but it also stands for a meaningful commitment: deep, heavy and indelible.” 

Manufactured in scorching heat with temperatures of more than one thousand degrees, Ystudio’s stationery pieces are handcrafted by local masters using traditional manufacturing techniques. Material: Brass. Price €70-90.

GOODS WE LIKE - Music Playlist No.19

Photo: Paris, 2015 by Simon Freund

Photography: Paris, 2015 by Simon Freund

TWIG – Cold Brew Premium Teas

Founded by tea fanatic, yoga teacher and Japan lover, Iona Carter, TWIG Teas source, cold brew and bottle premium quality teas. After spending her holiday in Kanazawa, where she discovered cold brewed tea for the very first time, she started experimenting with cold brewing techniques and various types of teas. 
That being said, what makes TWIG so special is the fact that it is cold brewed; we are not talking about simply cold tea here, or your standard ice tea (typically brewed hot and then refrigerated). Cold brewing is a unique process that involves steeping tea leaves over a long period of time in cold water, which draws a different flavour profile from the leaf. Compared to hot brewing, the process produces fewer bitter catechins and caffeine, resulting in a sweeter, smoother taste and a naturally refreshing drink. And believe us, you can taste the difference!

As tea purists, “I wanted to create a range of tea drinks that allowed the flavour of real tea to sing for itself, rather than drowning it in fruit flavours and sugar.” 


Currently, the TWIG family comprises four teas, including two black teas: a Darjeeling from India, and a Keemun from China; as well as an Oolong from Taiwan; and a roasted green tea from Japan:
Darjeeling, 'The Champagne of Teas’, originates from India. The 2nd flush black Darjeeling is grown on the ethically-minded Arya estate, established by 18th Century Buddhist monks in the lush green mountains of Darjeeling;
Keemun, from China, used to be known as 'The King of Black Teas’. Keemun is grown exclusively in Qimen, Anhui province, situated between the Yellow Mountains and the Yangtze River;
Oolong is a unique, partially oxidised tea, which sits between black and green varieties. TWIG uses Formosa Oolong, from the Northern Hsinchu area of Taiwan, which grows at an altitude of 800m and has an oxidisation level of 65%;
Bōcha is a Japanese roasted green tea made using the twigs and stalks of the tea plant, rather than the leaves. TWIG’s is produced by the tea master Mr Nakagawa, in Shiga Prefecture. 

CEREAL - The City Guides

Our friends from Cereal expanded their publication to include the Cereal City Guides - a beautifully curated collection of guidebooks, featuring New York, London and the “City of Lights”, Paris. Their decision to launch a series of physical guidebooks feels all too natural to us: Cereal magazine – their stunning flagship publication – is a biannual style and travel magazine. Founded by Rosa Park and Rich Stapleton in 2012, the publication is divided into city-specific chapters, with each section comprising stories in places, people and products. 

What makes these city guides so beautiful is not only their clean aesthetic, refined tone-of-voice or striking photography, but the fact that Rosa and Rich have researched, visited, photographed, edited and designed all of the content themselves. In this way, these guidebooks are a reflection of their very personal choices in hotels, cafes, restaurants, shops and places to see.

'If the food is top notch, so too is the space that accompanies it. You’ll soon notice that our version of the perfect trip is woven in with an understated flair and a penchant for grand landscapes – both natural and manmade.'

Each guide features a tightly edited and discerning selection of their favourite places, alongside a stunning photo essay of the city and personal essays of some truly inspiring people who call these cities their home. Most importantly, the guides are created to befit Cereal’s readers and modern travellers alike: What you will not find is a list of 30+ different restaurants to choose from, but those 5 or 6 carefully selected recommendations that Rosa and Rich believe to be unique, interesting and enjoyable. 24 select venues on 128 pages. Printed in full colour on uncoated paper. £8.

NUORI – Uniquely Formulated Skincare

We came across Danish skincare brand, NUORI, only quite recently. The brand not only offers a range of remarkable face, hand and body care products but has an impressively uncompromising approach to freshness and purity. 

Freshness is at the core of the brand. And to ensure this, NUORI products are freshly blended every 12 weeks. More than that, their products are labelled with two dates, indicating a ‘start-using-by date’ and an ‘expiry date’ to allow sufficient time to fully benefit from the formula. This approach stems from the notion that freshness ensures 100% efficacy, as natural active ingredients are not weakened by time-related breakdown. This understanding is linked to the findings of numerous scientific studies that have proven that essential active agents such as vitamins A, C and E are unstable in cosmetic formulations, loosing their beneficial properties in just a few months.

100% free from: synthetic preservatives, and other additives normally used to push the expiry date of beauty products. 

NUORI’s lightweight Vital Facial Cream, for instance, brings back your skin’s vitality and helps prevent and reduce first signs of aging. Formulated with hyaluronic acid – known for its extremely hydrating action – this cream restores the skin’s natural moisture levels. While botanical squalane, jojoba oil and sweet almond oil nourish the your skin, a complex of shea butter, vitamin C and E offers antioxidant protection.

LES OTHERS - Vol. 02 'The Hidden Issue'

Although Paris based Les Others was already launched back in 2012 as a digital-only platform, we came across this great, bilingual – French / English – publication only recently. Les Others describes itself as “an inspirational media dedicated to outdoor, travel and photography lovers.” And this statement couldn’t be any truer!

About a year ago, in early 2015, the guys from Les Others decided to launch their print issue – a biannual, carefully curated magazine with inspiring stories told by passionate outdoor lovers and adventurers, including travel diaries, interviews and beautiful photography. Volume II – The Hidden Issue – celebrates the unseen, the unknown, and the undiscovered. Driven by their curiosity, 20 contributors from around the world explore the hidden and the invisible. And you’ll be taken across the globe, from France to Norway, to Slovenia, Indonesia and Minneapolis, and from Italy to Bolivia. So, turn the pages and delve into their stories. 144 pages. French / English. Printed in France. Offset-printed and perfectly bound. Full colour, uncoated paper. 16 Euros. 

NILS FRAHM - 'Solo'

After introducing you to contemporary music label Erased Tapes Records a few months ago, we would like to follow up with one of our favourite artists, and one of the figureheads of the London based label – Nils Frahm. Back in 2015, the German artist – renown for embracing both digital and traditional means of composing music – returned with a piano solo album, intuitively titled Solo. Quite naturally what you would expect from an album like this, it’s lyrical, calm and gentle. Yet, you will dive into pieces such as ‘Wall’ which are more energetic and that quite interestingly break the overall gentle mood. Definitely, another excellent piece of work to listen to. Recorded on a Klavins M370 in Tübingen, Germany. The album is released on Vinyl, CD and Digital.

As a gift to his fans and in an effort to support exciting piano-related projects ‘Solo’ is available for FREE DOWNLOAD in 24-bit and mp3 via www.pianoday.org

Photographed by Simon Freund for GOODS WE LIKE

DIETER RAMS - 'Less and More'

‘Less and More’ captures the impressive legacy and design philosophy of one of the most influential designers of our time – Dieter Rams. Edited by product design experts Klaus Klemp and Keiko Ueki-Polet, the book visualises and describes the timeless quality of Rams’ design ethos on 808 pages. Mainly known for his work at Braun, and true to the principle of ‘less, but better’, Rams defined our fundamental understanding of what design is today. 

This understanding is often summed up in the ten rules of design that he created more than thirty years ago, referred to as ‘the ten commandments’:

// Good design is innovative. 

// Good design makes a product useful. 

// Good design is aesthetic. 

// Good design helps a product to be understood. 

// Good design is unobtrusive. 

// Good design is honest. 

// Good design is durable. 

// Good design is consistent to the last detail. 

// Good design is environmentally friendly. 

// Good design is as little design as possible.

Less and More is the reference book of Rams’ work and features images of hundreds of his products as well as his sketches and models  - from Braun stereo systems and electric shavers to the chairs and shelving systems that he created for Vitsœ. In addition to the rich visual presentation of his designs, the book contains texts by international design experts that explain how the work was created, and what this means in a contemporary context. Published by Gestalten.

KRISTINA KROGH - Limited Edition Art Prints

A few weeks ago i was introduced to Kristina Krogh's limited edition art prints and liked them immediately. The geometric shapes, colors and textures convinced me. Especially the photography is outstanding and a great fit for Goods We Like.

Her inspiration comes from places and objects that surrounds her; a beautiful old parquet, a marble floor in a church, stained glass windows, a bike ride through the streets of Copenhagen – among many other things.  

You should definitely get your hand on one of these prints and check out more unique design on her website.