pi’lo talk
Filed Under Going Green, Places, Stuff | August 3, 2010
One step into Heather Shaw’s enchanted coach house studio and you feel calm. Serene. The cozy space is filled with light and whimsical wares she has crafted using natural textiles and simple styles. From decorative pillows, to wall art, to soft alphabet blocks, Pi’lo has something for any nursery or child’s room. Not to leave the grownups out, there’s also beautiful fabric jewelry, scarves, and tote bags available.
Heather is the creative force behind Pi’lo, a company that designs and creates products out of organic, renewable, vintage, and wherever possible, locally sourced textiles. She started designing while at art school, working initially with pillows, hence the company’s name. After her first child was born, Heather realized she needed to slow things down. Her downtown art studio was booming, but wasn’t practical to also raising her family. So she and her partner bought a Victorian home with the idyllic garden studio, where she now works alongside women she hires to help with the sewing.
Her designs are neutral and sentimental, as seen on her newest pillow designs, which showcase her sons’ drawings. Heather’s mandate for Pi’lo is simple: Their products will remain hand made, never be mass-produced, and will always be created with responsibility and sustainability in mind. Her vision is that Pi’lo designs be passed down through generations, becoming family heirlooms.
If you’re looking for a unique gift, the tooth fairy pillows would delight a niece or nephew, and the whimsical mobiles would be ideal for a mom-to-be. Hosting a birthday party soon? Check out Pi’lo’s reusable and sweet loot bags, which each child would be happy to take home and keep regardless of what was inside!
Visit Pi’lo to browse Heather’s designs, and take a tour of their Etsy site to purchase.
Leave a Comment
Let us know what you think or share your great finds with us so we can share them with other Vancouver mothers!
