Bynd Artisan

Bynd Artisan

2014

Discipline

Brand Identity, Graphic Design, Art Direction, Spatial Design, Product Design, Packaging, Digital Design

Client

Bynd Artisan

Industry

Retail

How could Singapore’s oldest bookbinder make traditional craft matter in a digital age?

When the founders of Bynd Artisan approached &Larry, the logo was not the starting point. The real challenge was to connect a legacy of craft with a new generation.

Traditional stationery was losing relevance as everyday life moved onto screens. Looking beyond the product, we found the story in the craftsmen, their knowledge and the human touch behind every object.

Bringing the family business forward also meant honouring the men who had sustained it. As they approached retirement, their skills risked becoming a footnote in the company’s history. Bynd Artisan became a way to make that knowledge visible, relevant and shareable again.

Traditional stationery was losing relevance as everyday life moved onto screens. Looking beyond the product, we found the story in the craftsmen, their knowledge and the human touch behind every object.

Bringing the family business forward also meant honouring the men who had sustained it. As they approached retirement, their skills risked becoming a footnote in the company’s history. Bynd Artisan became a way to make that knowledge visible, relevant and shareable again.

“Something’s Worth Sharing” became the brand essence, guiding the identity, language and every tactile detail. We worked with master craftsman Mr Chong Beng Cheng on collages for the store posters, explored letterpress techniques for a series of postcards, and created a hand-bound, thread-sewn catalogue that carried the brand’s history in its very construction. Craft was not framed as nostalgia, but as something to experience, make and share.

Initially rejected by shopping malls as an unknown brand, we advised the founders to bring customers to the source. Working with interior architect LAANK, we helped transform part of the existing factory into Bynd Artisan’s flagship store, bringing together a Gallery for collaborations, a Retail space and an Atelier where customers could meet the craftsmen and experience their skills first-hand.

Original brick walls, ceiling beams, shelving, pipes and a letterpress machine were retained, while dark glass and considered lighting brought the past and present into balance. Corporate customers were invited behind the scenes to see how their notebooks and diaries were made. These visits grew into popular workshops, word spread, and the malls that once said no came back. A modular design system allowed Bynd Artisan to expand without losing the character of the original.

Bynd Artisan found a way forward without leaving its past behind. A craft that risked becoming a footnote became something worth sharing.