Manufacturing lamps in a different way.

Have you ever wondered why you can purchase a lamp for under 50€ at big stores?

The answer is simple

It was likely produced in a cheap labor country with deplorable working conditions, where workers are forced to produce mass quantities of the same product over and over again.

At kokoi, we absolutely reject this approach. We source our raw materials from local suppliers, ensuring that our production process supports the local economy and we truly value the job of our women artisans with fair working conditions and competitive salaries.

Working conditions of the women artisans

FAMILY OBLIGATIONS

For the women artisans employed at kokoi, one of the primary challenges they face in job searches is finding positions that allow them to balance family duties with professional commitments. Despite possessing impressive craftsmanship skills, they are often directed towards low-paying cleaning jobs.

FULL FLEXIBILITY

We prioritize the well-being of our women artisans by offering them complete flexibility in terms of working hours. They have the option to choose between full-time or part-time employment, and their work hours are entirely adjustable to accommodate their other obligations.

FAIR SALARY

To ensure fair compensation for their work, we pay them significantly more than the legally mandated minimum wage.

Creating our own tooling

  • Everything starts with an idea

    At kokoi, every new lamp starts as a mere idea and undergoes a creative and iterative process involving multiple trials and various tools.

  • Tooling

    As handmade lamps cannot be manufactured with standard tools, we take the initiative to design our own tooling. For instance, we've crafted special devices to mark precise cutting points on the bottles and molds to ensure the consistent shaping of our lamps.

  • Iterating to reach the perfect lamp

    Creating the perfect lamp is not a one-time event; it requires an iterative process that involves making adjustments to the cuts on the bottle, the shape of the mold, and the method of mounting the fibers on the plastic strips.

Each lamp takes up to 3 days to manufacture

  • Marking

    The first step in the lamp-making process at kokoi is marking the plastic bottles that will form the body of the lamp. This step is crucial to ensure that all cuts are uniform and that each strip has the same width and distance from each other. Once marked, the bottles are ready to be cut and transformed into unique and sustainable pieces of art.

  • Cutting

    After marking, the bottles are ready to be cut and transformed into unique and sustainable works of art. Cutting the bottle is done entirely by hand and requires precision and patience.

  • Mounting

    Once the plastic bottle is cut using scissors, the next step is to mount the cut bottle into one of our molds. Every mold is designed and crafted in our Augsburg studio in Germany, ensuring that it perfectly shapes and forms the lamp.

  • Assembly

    The final and most complex stage involves assembling the wicker and bio-cotton materials onto the bottle. This step requires careful attention to detail as even the slightest imperfection can lead to starting all over again.

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