Our Materials & CONSTRUCTION

Tafui started selling art prints in 2014 as a way to make her work accessible to new art collectors. Her prints are a fusion of her digital and fine art practices. All prints are derived from original paintings by Tafui. The original piece is scanned and slightly edited to achieve the best reproduction quality. All pieces are printed locally using fine art paper that is acid, lignin, and chlorine free. The paper is also pH buffered with calcium carbonate, ensuring a true archival paper. Artwork is printed with Epson UltraChrome and archival ink.

Tafui works with suppliers who align with her core values of producing carbon neutral materials that are non-toxic, environmentally friendly and ethically made.

When choosing which raw materials to work with, linen was the obvious choice. Besides being natural fibres that take to pigment well, the process in which linen is made makes it one of the most sustainable textiles available. Unlike a lot of other fabrics, every part of the flax plant is used when making linen. The flax plant requires no irrigation and uses little chemical treatments which makes linen naturally hypoallergenic and breathable.

Tafui uses organic linen sourced from a family of flax farmers in the Meulebeke region, which is a small village bordering Belgium and France, where the climate lends itself to a high quality flax. She continually seeks the best made raw materials and artisans to collaborate with.

Textile Printing Methods

Our textiles are digitally printed in the States.

CONSTRUCTION AND SEWING

Working towards a zero waste studio, Shop Tafui firmly believes in measure twice, cut once. All fabric is carefully measured in order to reduce waste and any fabric left over is saved and made into unique one-of-a-kind art collages or small accessory pieces. The minor salvage materials are put in the compost because all our materials are biodegradable.  

Zippers

YKK zippers were selected due to their reputation for quality. YKK is a Japanese company with a factory in Montreal, Quebec - where the zippers used are made. 

Down Pillow Inserts

Down is a natural fibre that offers superb comfort - an important aspect in a pillow
The cushions use down and feather mix purchased form a Vancouver based supplier.