ATELIER ASTREFOND｜PRODUCER

Brand

Initiatives that energize people and the environment

ATELIER ASTREFOND

• 2017
• Producer
• Mayumi Sakamoto

History

Creating the future of the community

Atelier Astrefond develops products utilizing the local materials of Maizuru City, Kyoto Prefecture.

President Mayumi Sakamoto used to work as a designer for a manufacturer in Osaka, creating their products, packages, catalogs, etc., as well as advertising in magazines and newspapers.

Then, in the spring of 2017, she made a U-turn with her career and decided to open her own atelier in her hometown of Maizuru City.

In the same year, she also began working more with her local community and joined a local organization working to create a better future for the community.

Based in a shared space that was renovated as a result of a shopping district revitalization project, the company is actively involved in local development, including the creation of locally-oriented products, a hometown tax payment business, and the operation of a local support website.

2018 saw the company win multiple awards at the Kyoto Women Entrepreneur Awards sponsored by the Kyoto Prefectural Government.

To date, the company has been involved in the development of products that have sold more than 1 million units as special order items for major cosmetics and pharmaceutical companies.

Under the philosophy of "making do with what you have," the company is making steady progress step by step with initiatives that are friendly to people and the environment.

Characteristic

Bath bombs from Kyoto by the sea

The northern part of Kyoto faces the Sea of Japan and is known as "Kyoto of the Sea."

The are has seen active exchange with the main continent (Korea and China) since ancient times, and each town there has many attractive resources.

We developed "Kyoto Sea Salt Bath Bombs" with the cooperation of Nor Corporation, which supports the creation of many community-based products that are considerate of people and the environment and utilize high-quality local materials.

The bath bomb is made from KOTOHIKI NO SHIO(R), handmade sea salt that is carefully cooked over an old-fashioned wood fire.

Kotohikihama, a natural treasure in Kyotango City, is a beautiful sandy beach that makes a koto-like sound when walked on.

The seawater near the beach is highly transparent and contains few impurities, resulting in the production of high-quality salt.

The natural sea salt is concentrated using traditional techniques by pouring the pumped seawater into a flat pot and slowly adding more over a number of days.

KOTOHIKI NO SHIO(R) is combined with the fragrance of Japanese cypress to create an exquisite bath bomb.

*" KOTOHIKINO NO SHIO(R)" is a registered trademark.

For Customers

Relax with an exquisite bath bomb.

Natural bath salts are popular products because of their ability to stimulate blood circulation and retain moisture.

However, most commercial products are made from foreign salt, and high quality natural salt produced in Japan is rarely seen.

Since they come into direct contact with the skin, we are very particular about the quality of our products.

We have taken advantage of the local availability of the finest sea salt to create a top-quality product.

The aroma of Japanese cypress and the milky white water will make your body and mind warm and refreshed.

We hope that this bath bomb with its sophisticated Japanese atmosphere will help you relax after a hard day's work.

Boxes are available according to the number of pieces, so we recommend this product for birthday celebrations or gifts for your loved ones.

Award

2017 Adopted for the "Kyoto Vigorous Regional Development Support Fund Support Project" in fiscal year 2017

2018 "The 6th Kyoto Women Entrepreneur Award (Entrepreneur Award)" Kyoto Research Park Award, Kyoto Living Newspaper Award