Handcrafted industrial

“Kraftisan’s story was born from the tale of handcrafted, quality goods, produced in an artisanal way, coming together with the modern revelation of industrial machinery,” says owner Lucas R Adams. We chat to this purveyor of fresh talent.

Who are you? 

My name is Lucas R Adams, I am 24 years old and have for the most part of my life been a Cape Town resident. I matriculated from Camps Bay High School in 2007 and started my tertiary level education at Cape Peninsula University of Technology in 2010 in the field of 3D Product Design, and have just completed my studies this year.

What did you want to be when you were a kid? 

I always wanted to become a photographer for National Geographic (we are talking years ago).

What do you do now? 

I own my own design business. Kraftisan’s story was born from the tale of handcrafted, quality goods, produced in an artisanal way, coming together with the modern revelation of industrial machinery. The name was inspired from the traditional methods of manufacture that were employed by craftsmen not so long ago, and we view their aspirations as the founding blocks for our mission statement.

 All our products are assembled by hand and are designed to allow for the least amount of waste, while using the most sustainably sourced materials in our manufacture and packaging processes. Apart from our product offering, we also provide a custom design and manufacture service where we collaborate with brands, companies and individuals to realise their creative requirements.

I believe that “local is lekker” and I also understand that one wouldn’t necessarily be able to start up a business like mine overseas where the market is ten-times bigger. Cape Town is an explosive mixture of rising and falling stars that come and go without a trace, and its size and tight-knit culture allows for creative individuals to take risks. Myself, as a designer in constant training, takes the position of being able to speak both the language of the client and the manufacturer at the same time. At Kraftisan we view these two languages as one, and we like to ensure that our customers feel as passionate about the production process as we are.

What are some of your biggest accomplishments as a designer? 

Well I’m only 24, but I’m really proud of completing my studies and having a flourishing design and manufacturing business. I participated in the 2012 Emerging Creatives program at Design Indaba, which was highly beneficial. I am also part of an exciting collaboration with a big local brand, for a product in 2013, but unfortunately I can’t say much about this at the moment.

How did that come about? 

Long hours, lots of coffee, and much less partying than a human being requires!

What do you covet most at the moment? 

Scandinavian everything.

In your view, does South Africa have a unique design language? 

We have a proudly eclectic mix of cultures in our language, which to the world is neither simple, nor complicated. There is not one defining factor except perhaps that local is tied with handmade. I guess you could say South Africa’s unique design language is that it is not: our design language is rich and interrelated, and that makes it unique in comparison to international comparisons where a word can sum up a country. 

What would you decree if you were appointed Minister of Design in the national government? 

Such a position would be highly criticised from all angles, but nevertheless I would focus not on design, but on entrepreneurship and business savvy in order to stimulate those who design, and thus enable them to better execute their ideas into meaningful business models within their communities. 

Advice for aspiring designers? 

 As much as “they” tell you that your first ideas are always preliminary, they are usually the best ones (to be developed); trust your instinct and learn to get advice from people who are in a position to be giving it.  

http://kraftisan.co.za/
We first met Lucas on Design Indaba Expo 2012’s Emerging Creative program. Check out this year’s Design Indaba Expo Emerging Creatives here.
More of VISI’s hot design talents featured at www.visi.co.za/fresh