Scissors from Taiwanese brand Tools to Liveby

Functional

Products from Taiwanese brand Tools to Liveby aim to make our daily lives more enjoyable. They are indispensable stationery items that everyone uses every day like pens and scissors, but designed to be as elegant as they are functional.
The brand's creator, Karen Yang, hopes that by using quality products that bring us happiness, everyday tasks will seem more pleasant. The Tools to Liveby's attention to detail is even reflected in the brand's packaging, which becomes a veritable decorative object in its own right.

The creation of the Tools to Liveby brand

Founded by Karen Yang in 2013, Tools to Liveby is not just a brand, but also a stationery boutique. Today, the brand has two very popular boutiques in Taiwan, one in Kaohsiung and one in Taipei, but it was in a friend's garage that she took up the challenge of opening her very first stationery boutique. Karen Yang is a true stationery enthusiast. When she travels abroad, whether on business or pleasure, she can't resist the urge to visit every stationery store that crosses her path in search of little treasures. She's particularly fond of "classics", i.e. elegant, timelessly beautiful and practical.

Before opening her own boutique, Karen Yang worked as a graphic designer in an advertising agency and enjoyed observing the type of stationery her customers used. She realized that many people didn't pay much attention to the type of product they were using, and that in general, many Taiwanese were unfamiliar with the international brands she loved so much. It was for this reason that she wanted to pass on her passion to her compatriots and introduce them to quality brands by opening her own stationery store.

The first boutique opened in a friend's garage in Taipei, which was completely renovated and decorated in the spirit of a concept store. Initially intrigued by the atypical exterior, many customers visited the boutique and discovered stationery products from all over the world, such as Traveler's notebooks, customizable travel journals from the Japanese brand Traveler's Company. The boutique became a meeting point for stationery enthusiasts from all over the country, as well as for newcomers to the addictive world of stationery. Karen Yang selects all the international products that join the shelves of her boutique. They are selected mainly according to four criteria: they must be aesthetically pleasing, functional, in a classic/timeless style and of high quality.

After introducing their customers to a wide range of stationery products, it was only logical that Karen Yang and her husband Marco Tsai should set about creating and marketing their own products. In keeping with the brand's motto: "the uncommon beauty in common things", Tools to Liveby products are first and foremost objects for everyday use. These products join other brands' products in their boutiques, and quickly become a success both in Taiwan and internationally.

Tools to Liveby brand products

The products created by the Tools to Liveby brand are above all products that we all use every day, whether at work or at home. So it's only natural that the products include a wide range of writing-related items, such as pens, mechanical pencils and fountain pens. The brand also sells notebooks for practicing calligraphy and improving handwriting. Other useful accessories include paperclips, clips, rulers and a magnificent collection of scissors. As all these products are intended for everyday use, they must above all be functional. Aesthetics are important, but not at the expense of practicality.

There's nothing more frustrating than owning a beautiful pen that doesn't write properly or doesn't feel right in the hand. Tools to Liveby products are therefore a clever blend of functionality and elegance, to enable us to own objects whose use makes us happy. Whether it's for work or a creative hobby, it's much more pleasant to be able to write with a beautiful pen whose tip glides perfectly over the paper, to use scissors that cut with the first stroke, or to hang documents together with elegant paper clips.

Tools to Liveby scissors

Just like pens, scissors are one of those objects that are indispensable to our daily lives, and of which we all have at least one pair at home. While you might think that any pair will do, you soon realize how important it is to have "good scissors that cut". Tools to Liveby scissors are precisely designed to cut perfectly. They are produced in Taiwan, using Teflon-coated Japanese stainless steel. Teflon is a non-stick coating that prevents glue or other residues from getting onto the blades and preventing them from cutting properly. The handles, meanwhile, are reinforced with rubber, for greater comfort and to prevent them from hurting fingers during prolonged use.

As well as being functional, the Tools to Liveby scissors are very elegant. They are made in a very pure style, with the only decoration being the engraved brand logo. Their aesthetic is also timeless, reminiscent of old stationery objects that might perfectly well be found in an antique shop.

"the uncommon beauty in common things"

The scissors are available in several different sizes, each in two elegant colors: black and gold. The smallest version, measuring 7.7 cm, is perfect for storing in an Okamoto Shoten pouch or carrying in a handbag. It's always handy to have a pair of scissors with you, whether to cut a protruding thread or a piece of paper. Their small size, which makes these scissors particularly adorable, also makes them a perfect accessory for creative hobbies, such as a travel diary or bullet journal, away from home, sitting on a café terrace for example.

The larger 22.5 cm version has long blades that are perfect for work that requires cutting in a straight line. There's also a version with wider handles, for even greater comfort during long cutting sessions. As for the final, more classic version (16.5 cm), it's perfect for occasional tasks, whether in the office or at home.

When the packaging is as elegant as the product

The joy of owning a Tools to Liveby product begins with the packaging. The brand makes a point of providing beautiful packaging for all its products, which then become veritable objects of decoration. Tools to Liveby scissor packaging, with its vintage aesthetic, becomes a superb case in which to store your scissors after use, and which you can display with pleasure on your desk or in a Toyo Steel storage box, for example.

As Tools to Liveby products are designed to last over time, they are naturally part of a waste reduction approach. This also applies to the packaging, which is so beautiful that it would be unthinkable to throw it in the garbage can. Each pair of scissors comes in a different size and color, which almost makes you want to collect them all. The pouch is embossed with hot gilding, a technique that transfers metallic patterns onto a support, for a high-end finish of the finest effect. The pouches feature the Tools to Liveby motto: "the uncommon beauty in common things", which perfectly sums up the spirit of the brand.

 As you can see, owning a pair of scissors from Tools to Liveby means owning a product that's as elegant as it is functional. Tools to Liveby brilliantly succeeds in brightening up our daily lives with objects as ordinary as scissors. Whether for everyday or occasional use, at work, at home or for creative hobbies, there's sure to be a pair of Tools to Liveby scissors to suit you and make you happy.