A DAY IN OUR LIVES

Bynd Artisan’s founders share their productivity rituals, tried-and-tested self-care hacks and why being “high touch” is now more important than ever. 

Bynd Artisan began with a single intent: to revive traditional craftsmanship in an age of mass production. It all started in 1942, when Singaporean Chan Koon Seng started a small bindery workshop which would become known as Goy Liang Book-Making Company. In 2014, as a tribute to her grandfather’s legacy, Winnie Chan and her husband James Quan launched Bynd Artisan, which offers over a hundred different personalised leather and paper gifts in three elegant boutiques across Singapore.

Despite its modern boutiques, multi-award-winning Bynd Artisan remains rooted in tradition. Its small team of artisans, trained in traditional methods of bookbinding and leatherwork, includes 82-year-old master craftsman BC Chong, who has been with the family for over 50 years. “He watched me grow up,” says Chan.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Bynd Artisan has expanded from its first, still bestselling product, the customised notebook. The brand now offers a range of giftable items, from pouches and wine bags to unique collaborations like an upcycled leather lampshade. In 2022, it launched reBynd, an eco-conscious brand offering upcycled products made from sustainable materials like leather offcuts.

Here, the duo shares a glimpse into their lives as creative entrepreneurs.

MORNING

Winnie: I get up around 5.30am and head to Botanic Gardens for a 30-minute jog. I’ll listen to business-related podcasts like those from Harvard Business Review and “The Bronze Medal Mindset” by Mel Robbins, which I found fascinating. I also journal in the mornings, noting priorities and key memories which I’ve never shown anyone, not even James. Breakfast is simple, just a cup of UCC drip coffee, or sometimes Nescafe with Coffee-mate, which I love despite the eye rolls.

James: I get up at 7am and brew my coffee using beans from Yong Seng in Tiong Bahru market. My favourite blend is 80% Colombian and 20% Brazilian, and I drink 10 cups every day. I’ll catch up on the news before starting work at 8.30am, when we have structured meetings with our financial controller, marketing and retail teams. I always reply immediately to emails. Winnie is the opposite — she writes long, formal replies, which sometimes takes months.

James: Covid changed the way we work, making us more creative. We upgraded our social media marketing, made our e-commerce site omnichannel and developed work-from-home products like mousepads and hand sanitisers. Over time, our business has shifted from 50% non-paper products to 80%. Covid also deepened our relationships with our customers, as many visited our boutiques just to talk to our craftsmen, who helped cultivate relationships. Our special orders are also about personal connection — we’ve restored countless customised covers for bibles, a pilot’s cockpit manual and even a breastfeeding diary for a mum who wanted to commemorate this special time in her life.

AFTERNOON

Winnie: For lunch, our helper makes my favourite Buddha bowl with tofu and vegetables, as I rarely eat meat. James loves hawker food, especially from Newton Hawker Centre, which has several Michelin-recommended stalls.

James: Trust is key in our business. We’re always reachable via email, whether at lunch or on holiday. It’s also built through the quality of our work. For example, we always hand-stamp our logos, which despite being much more challenging to execute is more lasting than using silkscreen. Our collaboration with Marina Bay Sands, for which we designed several items including valet trays, TV remote holders and stationery boxes in fine-grained European leather, canvas and suede, reflects this commitment to detail. A good example is a smart leather tag that indicates when rooms are being serviced — it’s such a small but important detail because guests see it. 

“Trust is key in our business. It’s also built through the quality of our work.”

— James Quan, Bynd Artisan

NIGHT

James: On Mondays, I head to my dance class at Kampong Glam Community Centre to stay active, learning old-school dances like the cha-cha. I also started singing competitively in 2021, focusing on Chinese and Cantonese songs. I’ve entered numerous competitions, winning five, and recently qualified for the semi-finals of the Golden Age Talentime – Elite Edition, Mediacorp’s televised singing competition. Overcoming my fear of performing for a large audience is one of my biggest personal achievements. Before bed at 11pm, I’ll review my performance videos.

Winnie: Nighttime is when I work on my personal social media (@paperqueen), editing photos and videos from the day. I also personalise images for guests after Bynd Artisan events, using apps like Capcut and Snapseed and sending them curated photos, rather than a mass email. This process takes time and I often get to bed around 1 or 2am, but it’s important that everything we do feels sincere and heartfelt — it’s just the Bynd Artisan way.