Kai D. + J. Stark

Posted on September 12, 2014 by Kai D. Fan

Everything Erik used to create was made up of ones and zeros and ceased to exist when electricity wasn't available. J.Stark was born from this troubling reality. "I had the desire to create tangible goods by hand with a focus on sourcing material from the United States as much as possible," says Erik, founder of J.Stark.

After first attempting to sew a felt iPad Mini case by hand, Erik was disappointed in the result. But after a bit of time, he came to the realization that failure must be accepted as part of the creative journey. "If you're paying careful attention to the craft, every minute you spend will progress you."

Based in Charleston, South Carolina, Erik enjoys the great entrepreneurial community present there. Fellow artists and makers in town provide continuous inspiration and motivation. He's pushed to make goods that are useful and durable, with a design and materials that lend to an authentic and timeless aesthetic. Designs begin as sketches, move to paper models, then to prototypes. Erik always gives these prototypes to people to test and provide feedback.