Meet The Artisan: Ben Ben
Ben Ben Studio is a husband and wife brand with a vision to inspire creativity through curiosity. Their intention is to create child-friendly products that are low-impact and high quality and that are built to last. They are continuously developing products that are safe, fun and practical for families. We at Rock Paper Scissors got chatting to Celeste to find out more about the story behind Ben Ben.
Image via Ben Ben, Instagram, benben_studio
Can you tell us a little about the history of your brand? How did it get started, and what motivated you to create it?
Ben Ben started at home, during COVID times, while my husband and I all of a sudden had a lot more time to let our creative minds free and with our biggest life inspiration, our son Benicio, who was 7 months old at that time. Honestly, I had been looking for a clock for my sons room so I didn't have to look at my phone at night whenever he woke up. Started looking, and I couldn't find anything nice and fun, so that triggered the idea of making beautiful clocks and night lights for children's rooms.
What inspires your designs? Are there any particular influences or themes that you draw upon in your work?
We are inspired by the curiosity that children naturally have and try and follow that through our designs. Fun, beautiful shapes, stories, even artists that take you to places that you know or you can imagine.
Image via Ben Ben, Instagram, benben_studio
What are some of the challenges you've faced as a local South African brand, and how have you overcome them?
There were quite a few actually. I would say the passion for our brand got us through them and continues to.
Can you tell us about some of the materials and techniques you use in your designs? How do you choose the materials you work with?
Our main ethos is to use materials that are sustainable wherever possible, birch-ply wood being our main one and non toxic paints, as well as LED lights that do not heat up, so the little ones can actually play with them.
How do you approach sustainability and ethical practices in your brand? Are there any initiatives or practices you've implemented to reduce your environmental impact?
We approached it mainly from a materials perspective as well as recyclable packaging and upcycled materials for our intro Ben Ben tote bags we had available for the first 50 customers. It is an ongoing job that we keep in mind and try our best with what we have available locally, both on materials and production of the products.
Image via Ben Ben, Instagram, benben_studio
Can you share any behind-the-scenes stories or anecdotes about your brand or your products?
Absolutely. I enjoyed our first photo shoot A LOT! We had some incredible professionals, who are also friends, all together in a studio, playing around, both adults and children! Cannot wait to repeat this experience.
What do you hope customers will experience or feel when they interact with your brand and products?
I hope that the first thing that happens when opening the box is for a BIG smile to appear on their faces, that first impression is super important, as well as the longevity and meaning of a product. We want Ben Ben to be part of the story of a child or family.
How do you see your brand evolving in the future? Are there any new projects or collaborations in the works?
100% We as a family have been travelling quite a bit in the past 2 years and received our second son 10 months ago, leaving me with little and sometimes no time to manage Ben Ben as I would like to. But this wont stop me ;) I would love to bring new products and continue with the great collaborations that are available in the industry.
Image via Ben Ben, Instagram, benben_studio
What advice would you give to other local South African brands looking to succeed in the industry?
Be prepared and keen to HASSLE, to get out there, to ask questions and to have a clear vision of where you want to go with your idea :)
Finally, Can you share with us some of your favourite products or collections that you have created, and why they are special to you?
This is a hard question, as all the products were thought out together, and holistically.... I personally love the Bali Height Charts and My Everything PegBoard, I have it in my son's room and it brings such a beautiful and special feel to it.
Ben Ben's kid's homeware fills Rock Paper Scissors with such a sense of cheer. Here's to indie South African brands doing it right! We especially love their playful nightlights and colourful clocks. If you’d like to come see the gorgeous quality of their products for yourself then pop in for a visit at the shop, otherwise you can shop their range of products on our online store.