FEATURES • BRANDS
Scenting Memories: Sumayé’s Quest for Comfort Through Fragrance
January 2025
Words by The Punch Editors
Photography by Baked & Rafael Moura
Sylvia Lohardjo moves with a quiet determination, navigating the intricacies of life and business with the grace of someone who understands that growth is born from the mistakes we embrace, not the ones we avoid. Sylvia’s brand, Sumayé Living, didn’t unfold as a perfectly planned journey. Instead, it’s blooming through the willingness to fail, to learn, and to let go of preconceived outcomes. Her scent-driven company, established in 2023, seeks to do more than just offer a fragrance–it seeks to evoke memories and paint vivid scenes through the art of smell.
Suyamé’s name is an attribute to Sylvia’s grandparents–a legacy she keeps close to her heart. October 22nd, her grandfather’s birthday, marks the date she chose to breathe life into Sumayé. His passing left Sylvia in a shadowed space, and the brand became her way of offering solace not just to herself, but to those who know the weight of grief. Sumayé, at its core, is about soothing sadness, about lighting a path back to comfort for those who need it most.
Incense, for Sylvia, is deeply personal. It is more than a product; it is a thread that ties her to comfort and warmth. It is about inviting others into moments of nostalgia, of family, of peace. Sumayé’s creations, carefully handmade, are an ode to Indonesian botanicals, drawing inspiration from ingredients like ube–the sweet potato that represents home, family, and the quiet comfort of togetherness. Bali, in many ways, became Sylvia’s muse. It was the place where creativity was not just encouraged but shared openly, especially in moments when she found herself struggling.
AWAKENING THE SENSES
For Sylvia, creating high-quality products was a no-brainer. But that duty entailed deep attentiveness to those who experienced her creations. Every critique and every bit of feedback became an opportunity for growth. With Sumayé, she’s taken a hands-on approach, sitting down with her customers in focus groups, offering different intensities of each scent, allowing them to truly engage with the experience of creating a smell.
What Sylvia discovered along the way was unexpected–stress dulls scent sensitivity. This insight changed her focus, not just on what she was making, but on how she could invite others to pause, to breathe, and to let each fragrance unfold in its own time. It’s less about rushing and more about giving space for the senses to awaken naturally.
Take her best-seller, Walking on Tatami. For Sylvia, it’s more than just a scent–it’s a memory, a familiar echo from her countless work trips to Japan with her family. The simple act of sitting on tatami mats, sipping green tea, and embracing the quiet beauty of life’s little moments. It’s this notion of stillness, the art of doing nothing, that she aims to capture and share through her fragrances. It’s an invitation to pace yourself, to observe the world around you, and just be.
Another scent, Coffee and Cigarettes, draws from her time studying in Switzerland, where people-watching became a pastime–moments spent observing life’s unfolding stories. 6 Months Cruise stirs a different emotion, a bittersweet reflection of a breakup, made to evoke the melancholic undertones of loss. Sylvia, a slow-paced soul at heart, holds transparency close. For her, each scent tells a story, tied intimately to her own life experiences. She wants her customers to understand that these fragrances aren’t just products–they’re windows into the memories that shaped them.
CULTIVATING TRUST: ETHICAL FRAMEWORK IN BUSINESS
It all begins with the idea of unwinding the tempo. Sylvia believes in a fluid, adaptable approach–ready with backup plans but always mindful, never rigid. Her leadership reflects this, trusting her team without micromanaging. When it comes to sustainability, she leans into small but meaningful shifts, like using paper over plastic and designing packaging boxes that double as incense holders. Delays are anticipated with understanding, acknowledging the realities of life beyond work. She’s loyal to her suppliers, paying craftsmen before the products are finished, and valuing trust over timelines. For Sylvia, it’s about letting go of high expectations and allowing things to unfold naturally.
Sylvia relies on outsourcing while focusing on local craftsmanship. Her ceramics and incense sticks are made in Bali, and she’s expanding production to certified factories in Jakarta. Better practices are at the core of her approach–reusing packaging materials and choosing aluminum pouches for their reusability. She even switched from glass to clay ceramic incense holders in 2021, favoring natural, homey textures. Experimenting with various glazes and techniques–hand-building, wheel throwing, and the artful flow of drip molding–they make holders feel alive with texture and form. The incense cones, made in Malang, carry the essence of Merauke, NTT, and Kalimantan, infused with the rich woods of these regions as natural incense.
Sylvia also draws inspiration from local rituals, once hoping to repurpose leftover flowers from Balinese offerings, though that remains a work in progress. Each step shows her dedication to mindful production as a whole.
HANDS OF HERITAGE
Sylvia often finds herself reconnecting with the local villagers, remembering moments like her visits to a family selling ilang ilang, only later realizing the familiar chenang note in one of her scents. When it comes to showcasing the people behind Sumayé’s creations, she is careful. Faces are never shown–out of respect for their privacy. It’s not about exploiting the narrative of workers in a developing country, but rather honoring the craft. What you’ll see on Sumayé’s social media are the hands, the true makers of each product, quietly telling their story. For Sylvia, it’s always been about respecting the time, effort, and dedication that go into every detail of her brand.
FROM BALI TO JAKARTA: SYLVIA'S INTENTIONAL JOURNEY
Her desire to give back became a personal mission in 2022, when she extended a hand to local communities in Ubud and Dalung, offering support through care packages and financial assistance. Sumayé’s values reflect this journey–a brand built on flexibility, patience, and the understanding that all good things take time. Though her journey began in Bali, Sylvia’s vision stretches beyond the island’s borders. Java calls to her now, as she prepares to share her carefully crafted work across the land, hoping to share that same sense of peace with those who find themselves lost in their moments of darkness.
Sylvia’s short-term vision is to open a flagship store in Jakarta, in an Indonesian heritage-rich area that resonates with the soul of local craftsmanship. Bali may come later, but for now, her focus is on being fully present and involved, making sure that her team isn’t overworked in the process. While the idea of expanding her brand is on the horizon, Sylvia’s approach is intentional. She sees Sumayé Living as more than a business–it’s a space where people can escape the city’s bustling scene. Profit is not the driving force; instead, it’s about taking a moment to breathe and bringing to life unique products that people will want to bring abroad, share, and gift.
EXPLORE THE FULL STORY IN UNCOVERED BALI BOOK
Uncovered Bali is a collective project showcasing the sustainable journeys of carefully selected Bali businesses to a global audience. Each story highlights the unique impact these enterprises have on preserving Bali’s cultural and environmental heritage while driving positive change. Through this project, we aim to inspire global leaders, travelers, and communities to embrace more sustainable practices and appreciate the powerful role that local businesses play in shaping a better future.
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