Native & Co is an independent homeware and lifestyle shop in London’s Notting Hill. Founded by two product designers, Taiwan-born Sharon Jo-Yun Hung and British-Japanese Chris Yoshiro Green, the shop specialises in crafted home products that are predominantly sourced from Japan and Taiwan.
Working with small suppliers, specialist workshops and local craftsmen, they seek out simple, discrete pieces that are both functional and beautiful at the same time. Here you’ll find traditional cast iron kettles, hand-made ceramicware, canvas aprons and striped linen tea towels.
Their shop interior is as well thought out as the products on display, from the furniture that Green crafted himself to the little touches that make the space homely. Laid out on the table is the Arita Porcelain Collection, which includes Japanese kitchen tools such as a sesame mortar with pestle and lid, a lemon squeezer, a ladle stand and multi-functional canisters. Tableware includes ceramic tea cups, rice bowls and plates that use 400-year-old porcelain techniques and are adorned with traditional Japanese navy and white patterns.
Hand-bound brooms, made from Japanese hemp palm and sewn together with copper wire and linen thread, hang from a rack, while bamboo baskets double up as storage. Just like the unique products, the shop blends a contemporary design with age-old craftsmanship – if only my own home was as calming and uncluttered!
Taiwanese craft has great potential and one of our goals is to promote Taiwan as a culture of high-quality craft and good taste, says Hung.
Here are some of my favourite products:
From top to bottom, left to right: 1: Japanese enamelled kettle, £85, 2: Kami cup, medium, £42 3: Nambu cast iron kettle, £250 4: Japanese palm broom with handle, £125 5: Stoneware ceramic cup and saucer, £24 6: Chambray linen tea towels, £18
