About me

Hi my name is Floortje, a product designer by education and independent ever since art school. The state of the earth and how we treat its resources have pushed me away from the interior design business I practiced for 20 years. Lately I have been giving more space to the creatures living in my head and the urge to give them life, without using any new materials. My imagination combined with my constant drive to "problem solve" create this thoroughly happy place in which I can dive deep to design, and out come these playful collectibles which I hope will cheer up other people too! 

tōtemu

I chose my brand name (which is the word 'totem' in Japanese) because I hope to encourage people to value and cherish their material possessions, and to purchase timeless handmade items with a little added minimalist symbolism. Designer toys for animal people.

How I work

Ever since I was little I’ve built things from “trash”, ranging from small piece compositions to revived furniture and lamps to completely repurposed household items. 

Working in a creative hub with wood and metal workshops, means I come across a lot of discarded materials. 

These days, when I find a beautiful material, I let it guide me to its new destination. I follow the characteristics and shapes, by experimenting, combining, thinking and designing. I only add my thoughts, my hands and my time. The result of these efforts are limited edition collections of lifestyle items, some functional, some decorational. The outcome is completely unpredictable, as the type of product is not predetermined in this method. When the material is done, the collection is done. Sometimes restocks are possible, depending on the source. 

When I need additional materials to finish a design, like the yarn for the Spunky Spirit animals, I always buy second hand materials. I once bought a pile of yarn from a woman in Lelystad who quit knitting, and I’m still only half way through. The merino is renewable, so I purchase that from certified cruelty-free sheep farms. For packaging I use recycled paper envelopes, second hand protective sheets and repurposed magazine pages.

Don't hesitate to get in touch with any questions or to say hello!

Floortje