Nearly thirty years ago, for the first time, I saw yellow straws harvested in canicule and air-cured in the yard of my hometown Xuhang, a small town in Shanghai. Then, liquid dye was filled into pots in dyehouse, slowly boiled until straws were infused with color. In the hands of craftsmen, strands of straws were plaited into gorgeous toys, handbags, shoes, and they have accompanied me through my childhood. Legend has it that the technique of yellow straw plaiting was originated from a fairy who brought luck and happiness to the people in town. It was the first time that I perceived the wonder of nature. In the hands of craftsmen, the universe is nourished and syncretized to a rebirth. 

As an adult, I left my small town to become an entrepreneur and investor, travelling around the world making investments and running businesses. One night I dreamed of the yellow straw toy made by my grandmother, and the ice cream she brought me as an exchange for her plaiting work. I went back to my hometown for nostalgia; however, the yellow straw land in my dream has disappeared under city landscape, and the straw accessories have been preserved in a museum for very few people to appreciate. For the first time, the unsettled heart of mine summons for inheritance and protection, to introduce this warm and precious technique from my childhood to more and more people.

Unlike common straws, yellow straw is characterized as slim, glossy and resilient, and can be plaited into sophisticated and exquisite accessories. This is the birth of REISO, meaning “wonderful plant” in ancient Chinese. In this technologically-driven world, we eat, sleep, work, and play in many ways cut off from the natural world. Divorcing ourselves from our deeper, nature-bound essence can come at great risk. Inspired by natural materials and handmade craftmanship, we are dedicated to the idea of making nature into your heart. We perceive the New Luxury as the ability to find one's own inner comfort and peace. Like a wildflower or a piece of cloud in blue sky, REISO is here to reconnect you with nature, help you capture inner peace and cheerfulness in your busy routine and bring tranquility of spirit, whether during workdays or holidays.