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About
After reading the book “The Emperor wears no clothes” by hemp advocate Jack Herer, Emilio De Baudringhien got inspired to start a company that would bring this amazing plant and all of its benefits, back to humanity.
Since hemp is a carbon negative crop we strongly believe it can be a key player in fighting global warming… think of it this way: we are growing a plant in 100 days that takes huge amounts of carbon from our atmosphere and stores it safely in the ground, actually increasing the fertility of the soil. After the plant is harvested we can use every single aspect of the plant for a different purpose, leaving no waste. All this with a minimum input of water and nutrients and no use of pesticides and herbicides.
1 acre of hemp takes in 10 times the amount of carbon compared to 1 acre of rainforest.
Emilio doesn’t consider The Ornament Hemp Co. a fashion company since we don’t follow fashion trends or seasons. Instead we see the company as a vehicle to support the hemp movement in all its forms.
Emilio never started this company for money gaining purposes. All of the money that comes in is directly re-invested in creating more products made from hemp to help increase global hemp crop production and help create a world with more durable products made from replenishable crops such as hemp.
At the end of 2017, Emilio set up a crowdfunding campaign to set up his label. Thanks to 110 lovely backers, Emilio got his project funded and was able to take off.
Theo Eyewear
Theo EyewearMore Info
theo history
What began as a memo… on an order form has developed into the slogan for the most headstrong Belgian brand of spectacles: ’theo loves you’. To this very day the motto connects everything theo does, every decision, every collection. It was the love for their clients that made Wim Somers and Patrick Hoet, opticians with their own store, decide to design and present a collection under the name of theo. Why? Well, simple: because they wanted to offer their clients something other than the mainstream glasses that were selling at the time. So, in 1989, the first theo glasses became a fact. And they were groundbreaking. With every following collection, it became increasingly easier to reach the consumer. Today, more than 20 years later, theo is sold in 1,400 stores across 50 countries… and theo loves them all!
Originally theo only addressed the avant-garde. Later however, the glasses began to appeal to a wider audience. But theo always had a soft spot for the individualist. So in order to generate interest among trendsetters again, ‘Eye-witness’ was launched in May 1995. These spectacles were apparently unfinished and asymmetrical. Eye-witness wearers are often men and women who are kindred spirits. The Eye-witness line still exists today and every year new models are launched.
In 2004, theo announced its co-operation with the German-Belgian designer Christoph Broich. This cross-pollination between fashion and eyewear proved a hit. The sunglasses Broich and theo were recognisable by the safety pin in the spring. Four years later, theo started collaborating with Belgian designer Tim Van Steenbergen on its new collection of sunglasses. The two Antwerp labels joined forces and have since been producing spectacles that radiate glamour and sophistication. In 2012, theo & Tim presented their forth collection together. And they are working hard on the next one.
To celebrate its 20th birthday, theo presented the ‘VinGtage’ collection at Mido 2007. theo is famous for its small glasses, of course, making this ‘Vingtage’ collection (vingt ans d’age! = 20 years in French – one of Belgium’s official languages) quite a departure. The focus has definitely shifted from the eyes to the face. Yet these glasses are in no way similar to what people wore some forty years ago – these are spectacles for the present times, and indeed spectacular.
theo like to be unpredictable. For a new optical collection in 2010, theo started working with James Van Vossel, a creative spirit who was given carte blanche, resulting in a series with no equivalent. More models to come!
The theo headquarters are located in Antwerp. Mik and Toon, two of the three sons of Big Boss Wim Somers, joined the business a few years ago. Third son Jan joined his mother Jamme at the theo – Somers Optiek store. Nowadays, more than thirty people work for theo in Europe, the US and Japan. So this small family business has developed into a major player in the international optics market. Patrick Hoet sold his shares to Wim about 15 years ago. Nevertheless Patrick stays exclusive designer for theo. Meanwhile theo has its own design team that works together closely with Patrick.
And so, theo keeps on surprising!
theo loves you!
Headquarters Arsenaalstraat 3 Antwerpen 2000 Belgium
Flagship Store Theo – Somers Optiek Antwerpen 2000 Belgium
Tirez vous les Filles
Tirez vous les FillesMore Info
Fashionable in a nutshell
Why not stand out with a glam rock look, based on zippered modukes.
Consuming better to consume less, quality rather than quantity. A dress that bends to all your desires, which vary according to the time of day, the season, the weather, the occasions, the unexpected,…
16 dresses, in one dress. 2 dresses, that’s no less than 256 possible customizations. 3 dresses, it’s 4,096 possible combinations with another color or another material that we modulate, often vinyl or imitation leather materials.
In addition, design and fashion 100% made in Belgium.
A line of jewelry and accessories finished with zippers completes the range, with the use of fish leather, another way to become sustainable.
Vieux Chemin 50 Bruxelles 1180 Belgium
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Thea is the name Emilie Duchêne gave to her daughter, a baby girl who was born at the same period as this creative project. She wanted Thea’s birth to be forever associated with a moment of creation. This is how Thea Jewelry came about in November of 2011. Thea Jewelry is a line of luxurious custom-made jewelry, personalized and unique. You order your unique piece of jewelry online, but first you can personalize the jewel by choosing a fine gold, a word of your choice, a heart or a star, all to be engraved in gold, or set with either white or black diamonds. In 2014, Emilie Duchêne added new jewels such as earcuffs, cufflinks, and bracelets for kids, all personalized, to further share the essence of Thea.
Our jewels
Our jewels are unique, personalized in a fine 18 Karat gold, and made by hand in a workshop with a certain “savoir-faire”. The customer chooses the color of the gold: white, yellow, or pink. This jewel may be even paved with white or black diamonds. The customer can also choose to add symbols such as a heart, a star, an infinity sign, or other symbols. The writing used for each jewel is totally unique as it’s based on Emilie’s own handwriting. Four weeks later, your jewel will be sent in a luxurious box to your door.
Drève de Lorraine, 43 Brussels 1180 Belgium
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100 % Made In Belgium.
Established in 2008, TAMAWA owes its clear identity to the Bakelite ball, used as the core material and component for all the products in its collection. It all started when designer Hubert Verstraeten met with Belgian snooker ball manufacturer SALUC, set in the region of Tournai in Belgium. From then on, SALUC would supply Aramith (Phenolic resin) to the designer who first started by self-producing two watches, followed by the design of a whole jewellery line, which inspired the name of the company – ‘TAMAWA’, meaning in Japanese; “ball on steel ring”.
Japanese inspiration
Tamawa Ball LampIn order to open up to wider creative possibilities, TAMAWA quickly decided to call upon emerging design talents such as Big Game, Belgian designers Sylvain Willenz and Alain Berteau, the artist Yann Lestrat, jeweller and silversmith Nedda El-Asmar. By bringing its own understanding and by translating in its on way the concept of the ‘mono-form / mono-material’ of the Bakelite ball, each designer has enriched the collection with unique items- Nedda El-Asmar, in creating memory form jewellery, Big Game with the BALL LAMP, Alain Berteau with a USB key and Pepper and salt mills and Sylvain Willenz with his coat-stand LOCK, wall hooks PIFF and suspension lighting RAY.
With an impeccable technical quality (shine & durability), in a wide range of up-lifting colours (white, blue, yellow, purple, black, orange, red and pink, all official snooker colours), the playful nature of the products goes far beyond the snooker ball rooms, all being as much of a reference to the iconic ‘Hang It All’ of Charles & Ray Eames than a playful approach to objects with its infinite colour combination.
In a very short time, TAMAWA acquired a legitimate Producer status.TAMAWA focuses on a method of production integrated to the company’s infrastructure, stock capacities and manufacturing facilities, all allowing creative as well as logistical flexibility. Surprisingly, the sphere allows never-ending ideas. However, TAMAWA’s challenge is to make sure it always maintains a coherent collection, with its particular attention to aesthetics and its interest for clever engineering. Design manufacturer 100 % Made in Belgium Collaborations with emerging designers With this very focus, TAMAWA can provide high quality objects at affordable production costs, enabling Belgian production and the use of a majority of European components. It is a real pleasure for TAMAWA’s Designers to come to the workshop and work on their ideas, to experiment on their project, going through different phases of the manufacturing process; from milling, drilling, high pressure-assembly, fine-tuning and testing to the final product.
Working with graphic design agency DONUTS.Brussels based graphic designers DONUTS were chosen to implement the brand’s identity. DONUTS created the TAMAWA logo, product packaging, brochures and the graphic identity of the website. All the advertising material put forward the idea of the sphere form and colours, in tune with the unique identity of the brand. Their aesthetic and their approach are in keeping with TAMAWA’s reality. It only takes a look at the introduction video on the website (“2 spheres, 8 colours, 64 rings”) to understand the tactile and versatile qualities of the brand’s collection.
TW27 & TW35 watches by Hubert Verstraeten.Tamawa Small Watch TW27
Watches are the emblematic pieces of the collection. TAMAWA’s watches are discernable illustrations of the brand’s values, demonstrating a real know-how of clockwork that only a few manufacturers can craft today. Composed of a spherical dial, a Bakelite ball and of a double bracelet, their design is the perfect reflection of the TAMAWA universe.
Tamawa LOCK
LOCK coat-stand by Sylvain Willenz.
LOCK is a reinterpretation of the archetypal coat-stand. Inspired by COATED, a former coat-stand project, Willenz developed LOCK, a simple and effective solution comprising a Bakelite ball and 3 sticks. The particularity of this coatstand lies in the simplicity of its elements and how they are put together. The 3 wooden poles are inserted through a cleverly machined Bakelite ball, which maintains them together thanks to a sole screw discreetly located under the ball . The softness of natural wood contrasting with the glossy Bakelite ball results in a joyful and playful item for the home.
Salt& Pepper Mills S&P 57 and S&P 76 by Alain Berteau.Tamawa S&P Mill
These two models of salt and pepper mills are composed of 2 and 3 Bakelite balls in order to reflect their method of use. Both designs use a unique system called Crushgrind (its material and its sturdiness allow to crush both pepper and salt with ease). S&P 57 and S&P 76 are playful and elegant seasoning items for the kitchen and the dining table
Piff by Sylvain WillenzTamawa Wall Hooks
PIFF is a family of 3 versatile wall-hooks. There is no use of glue; only pressure has been used to assemble all parts together. The PIFF wall-hooks are available in 4 colour ways. In All Black, all Red and in 2 colour mixes. Very easy to mount to the wall. Each PIFF comes with a special strong screw and a wall-plug.
Tamawa Ray Light
RAY pendant lighting by Sylvain Willenz
With RAY suspension light, Sylvain Willenz explores Tubular-Lighting once again, a few years following his personal project INNERTUBE (a rubber lightshade kept in shape with a circular TL). TL Lighting is rarely used in domestic environments. RAY makes use of TAMAWA’s specialized production techniques, expertise and understanding of Bakelite balls, consequently creating a domestic lighting fixture with a refined technical solution; an original and colour ful alternative to common TL connectors.
Ball Lamp by Big GameTamawa Ball Lamp
The idea to create a lamps as first object for the Tamawa home collection came very naturally. Big Game has the habit of stripping its objects of their,original function, creating the pretext for a new design. The Ball Lamp is a white glass globe resting on a ball the same size of bakelite, a confrontation of two different materials re into the work dhybridation, familiar ground and source dinspiration favorite of the trio. With the play of light that accentuates leffet juxtaposition of the two forms of spherical homothetic, the language is at once simple, delicate dunes while having strong visual presence.
Jewelry collection by Hubert Verstraeten
The TAMAWA jewelry collection plays on the beauty of the surface of the bakelite beads, which is reduced to its purest form of the jewel. The mini colored
bakelite beads can be used in diverse ways as they can be adjusted on watches, earrings, cufflinks and rings. For example, when forming part of a necklace, the beads follow the movements of the body harmoniously as they shift on a stainless steel base resembling that of a crescent moon or a smiley. Available in various sizes, the jewel becomes a landscape for open and innovative experimentation. They can be made up of one bead, two beads, three beads or more seamlessly assembled on a timeless string of pearls. Oversized as regards the traditional accessory, the beads may be worn on the fingers, wrist and body combining their smooth asymmetric design with originality for presentation in a pure classic style. Always combined with stainless steel, these accessories unite style and fashion with innovative design and are available in a rich palate of colors such as red, yellow, blue, orange, violet, rose, black and white. Assembled and intertwined seductively, TAMAWA plays on the contrasts, harmonies and beauty of the ideal object. Encrusted gemstones such as amethyst,
topaz, smoky quartz or diamonds serve only to enhance the discrete elegance of this collection. Luxury in Technicolor opens the door to many other possible variations of a similar theme using all the bead colors and gemstones. Glossy and glamorous, these micro Bakelite beads are like pearls, offering a way to customize your own jewelry box, with a personal touch and in a contemporary style.
rue des Vétérinaires 42 D mod. 02, Bât. 3 Brussels 1070 Belgium
Terre Bleue
Terre BleueMore Info
Terre Bleue philosophy
Terre Bleue is a stylish, Belgian casual chic collection that makes women, men and kids feel good and that gives them confidence and trust in life. Modern clothing that looks and feels natural. Since 2002 Terre Bleue is linked to young, active and dynamic women that are fashionable and strive for balance, authenticity and joy of life. Men have found their way to Terre Bleue as well. Our mens collection offers a pleasing mix from stylish and adventurous, from classic to tough. It is the ultimate brand for the fashionable epicure.
Children also love Terre Bleue. The sparkling colors and nice models correspond precisely with their world, and thanks to the excellent quality they can carefree play and enjoy.Our collections are easy to combine within the different themes and with the rest of your wardrobe. You can wear Terre Bleue to any place and occasion. At work, on holiday or even to festive events; every moment is a Terre Bleue moment. Small or tall. Man or woman. With Terre Bleue you are exactly who you are. Welcome to the world of Terre Bleue!
Terre Bleue history
The Belgian label Terre Bleue was established in 2002 and is part of the company Duror/Two Faces, a flourishing family company runned by Dirk Perquy who represents the third generation. Recently his son Peter joined the company so that the tradition is assured. The roots of Terre Bleue go back to 1938. Maurice Perqui, his wife and his brother Jozef established the Perquy-Braet company. It was a wholesale in textile products; especially caps, scarves and stockings. A strong brand demands its own boutique that reflects the total image of the collection. That’s why Terre Bleue opened its first concept store in Ghent in 2004. More boutiques would follow soon. The former kids collection CF Company, that was the inspiration for the Terre Bleue womens collection, was renamed Terre Bleue in 2008.
Since the summer of 2009 the Terre Bleue universe expanded with its own men’s collection. Since then Terre Bleue has become a real family brand.The number of boutiques is growing and the gamma is always enlarging. To establish a total look, Terre Bleue launched a women and kids shoe collection in 2010 that is intensively connected with the clothing collection. With the Spring collection of 2012, the boutique in Knokke was the first to be transformed into a new shopping concept. Shortly after that, the 12th Terre Bleue boutique opened its doors in Nieuwpoort; a family store that is designed according to the new concept.In the same year the brand also celebrated its 10th birthday! Grow continues in 2013.
‘s Gravendreef 24 Nazareth 9810 Belgium