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THE PUNCH FEATURES

Jia by OCK: A Tale of
Craft, Design, and Culture

January 2024 – Words & Photography by The Punch

Jia means 'home' in Chinese, and OCK stands for its sister company, Ong Cen Kuang. Founded in 2021, Jia by OCK is a Bali-based home accessories brand that focuses on providing a collective retail experience and styling service centered around craft, design, and culture. The importance of building and sustaining a healthy ecosystem of creative communities in Indonesia drove the brand founders Budiman Ong, Rudi Winata, and Yang Yang Hartono to create a platform where instinctual energy and passion can be exchanged.

ABOUT THE BRAND

Meet Yang Yang Hartono,
Art Director of Jia by OCK

WHAT IS JIA'S STORY?

"Jia is a home retail experience with craft, design, and culture as its foundational pillars and philosophy. We believe these pillars are essential to our vision as a melting pot for brands, craftsmen, artisans, designers, communities, and customers to come together and support one another. The story is simple and honest, as Budiman and Rudi and I have always shared a deep love for craftsmanship. We believe that craftsmanship without design lacks relevance, and the same applies the other way around—design without craftsmanship is dull and soulless. We have brought our fundamental passion to create and provide home products and more."

HOW DO YOU SOURCE YOUR PRODUCTS?

"We primarily source our products from local emerging and established designers, craftsmen, artisans, companies, and brands. We curate them meticulously, considering their stories, philosophies, knowledge, and values to ensure they align with ours at Jia."

HOW DO YOU EMPOWER LOCAL COMMUNITIES?

"We believe that empowering local communities must begin with ourselves. By taking our values of Craft, Design, and Culture very seriously, we recognize that open communication is essential to support individuals and communities worldwide. We ensure that our communication is open from the very first encounter with the people behind the brands. This enables us to gain a deep understanding of how we can mutually support each other through Jiā as a Home Retail Experience. We particularly prioritize products originating from rural areas and ensure that we convey the significance of curating their products to us, as well as the reciprocal benefits."

"At Jia, we highly value
storytelling and collaboration. These are the main pillars that we use to initiate projects and curate brands."

AS A RETAIL BUSINESS, WHAT SUSTAINABILITY LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO IMPROVE?

"As a retail business, we aim to prioritize sustainability, focusing on its core aspects: economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Our approach involves curating products that align with these core principles. We believe that high-quality products, supported by strong brand values and craftsmanship, can enhance the economic value of a product. In our curation process, we avoid endorsing brands or products that engage in excessive production, as this can contribute to overconsumption. We believe in the principle of 'less is more' and emphasize quality over quantity. Socially, we always strive to convey the authentic message and values of each brand or product, aligning them with Jia's philosophy."

COULD YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR PACKAGING AND WASTE?

"We continuously monitor and assess our packaging practices to identify further opportunities for improvement. Currently, 90% of our packaging consists of eco-friendly alternatives, such as craft paper and cardboard. In terms of waste management, we collaborate with local recycling facilities to ensure our waste is diverted from landfills. We also promote the use of reusable shopping bags and containers, encouraging customers to adopt greener shopping habits."

HOW ARE YOU ENGAGING YOUR STAFF IN YOUR BRAND VALUES?

"Here at Jia, we always emphasize the importance of the philosophy of 'Home.' 'Jiā' in Chinese means home, and that's the core of our brand. It also means that, regardless of positions, anyone who works at Jiā needs to be aware that we wouldn't exist without one another, just like in a home and family. Open and consistent communication is truly the key. At Jiā, everyone can contribute their ideas and opinions. Your thoughts, ideas, concerns, challenges, dreams, and goals all matter, both individually and collectively."

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE NEAR FUTURE?

"We are confident that together we can achieve greater heights. Our primary goal is to serve as a melting pot for honest creativity through craftsmanship, design, and community. Once again, our mission is to create a home for these creative energies within craft, design, and cultural communities."

COMMITMENT 1

Sustainable Management

By documenting and implementing a clear sustainability plan, Jia by OCK and its team are demonstrating their commitment to the environment and their communities.

COMMITMENT 2

Sustainable Building & Design

By designing clean and functional buildings & products, Jia by OCK is minimizing the use of resources, unnecessary waste, and harmful emissions.

COMMITMENT 3

Sustainable & Local Sourcing

By giving priority to sustainable, local, Fairtrade, organic and/ or recycled produce, Jia by OCK is emitting less carbon emissions while celebrating the local economy.

COMMITMENT 4

Equal & Local Employment

By giving equal opportunities to local residents including management positions, Jia by OCK is promoting diversity and elevating employees engagement.

COMMITMENT 5

Staff Engagement

By engaging their staff in the implementation of the company’s sustainability goals, Jia by OCK is increasing sustainability knowledge, competence and action.

COMMITMENT 6

No Single Use Plastic

By not using single use plastics, Jia by OCK is minimizing by millions the amount of plastic ending up in the streets, in the rivers and in the ocean.

COMMITMENT 7

Waste Management

By having a clear waste management plan in place with actions to reduce, separate and reuse / recycle waste, Jia by OCK is not only minimizing the amount of waste in Bali; the brand is also leading the example to their employees and customers.

COMMITMENT 8

Sustainable Packaging

By using sustainable, natural, recycled and/or biodegradable packaging, Jia by OCK is significantly reducing their environmental impact.

COMMITMENT 9

Energy Conservation

By using equipment and practices to conserve energy, Ong Cen Kuang is contributing to reduce the demand for carbon-intensive power plants which in turn benefits the environment by reducing carbon dioxide emissions.