Tanchen Studio's inventive designs centre around sustainability

Sanchia Tan and Amber Chen started their design studio in 2019 with a focus on creating large installation projects. Their first project was a commissioned piece of woven tapestry using 100 kg of their deadstock fabric that was upcycled, to create a changing room for the Beijing flagship store of Shanghai-based fashion brand WHM.

Unfortunately, the pandemic hit a year later. Sanchia and Amber revealed that when opportunities for large-scale installations dwindled, they pivoted to creating smaller objects for people to use at home, such as bags, rugs, and coasters.

Luckily for them, Gut Oggau, one of their favourite Austrian wine producers, contacted the designers via Instagram with a commission for a wine bottle carrier with an exclusive colourway by Tanchen. Sanchia exclaims: “It was a real fangirl moment for us!”

Formerly from Central Saint Martins in London, Amber and Sanchia met in 2013 when they studied textile design. The duo are no stranger to international collaborations, having also created installations with a design gallery in Barcelona, as well as businesses in London. In July, they presented their biggest showcase to date with an art installation for retail event Green-House 2023 in Singapore, using upcycled scrap materials from Mercedes-Benz and returned furniture from Castlery.

Sanchia recalls the fun learning opportunity, as they were able to experiment with many materials that were different from what they were used to working with. “As much as possible, we try to look at scrap materials and deadstock fabric with a different perspective, and ask ourselves how these materials can be used in inventive ways,” she says.

Upcycling is a major component of their design practice, and one of the most effective ways to reduce waste is by producing items in small quantities or as “limited editions”. That’s why Sanchia and Amber are always on the lookout for collaborations and one-off projects.

Interestingly, the designers are based in different cities – Amber lives in Shanghai, and Sanchia in Singapore. They had been working remotely from 2020 to 2022, and were finally reunited in September 2022 when they set up a booth at Maison&Objet, an international trade fair for home collections, in Paris.

According to Sanchia, this unique partnership has helped them to have a more global outlook for their brand: “We decided that we would go wherever the wind takes us… We always welcome new opportunities to bring Tanchen to the world!”

www.tanchenstudio.com

Below are the handmade creations that Amber and Sanchia are most proud of:

B/B BAG/ CREAM, $105

Credit: TANCHEN STUDIO

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“It’s made out of wooden beads woven together with elastic, and inspired by the beaded seat covers that you sometimes see in taxis. We’ve applied the technique to whimsical objects: a coaster set, an Airpods Pro case, and even a coffee carrier.”

0/0 MAGNUM/ LILAC + SAND, $88

Credit: TANCHEN STUDIO

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“It’s the first product we created – a bottle carrier made of stretchy nylon yarn that takes the shape of whatever you fit inside it. It has handles in the form of wooden hoops, though we’re always coming up with different ways to suspend it. Stay tuned.”

Assorted Mazha stools, $175 each

Credit: TANCHEN STUDIO

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“This is a collaboration with Chengdu-based design practice Amass Studio. The ## in the name is a playful reference to the pattern in the hand-woven seat. It’s a portable stool that takes after its namesake, the mazha (马扎), a traditional Chinese folding chair.”