Today Liane Rossler takes us to Koskela as part of our Happy Shopper tour around Sydney. We'd love to hear some of your favourite 'Happy Shopper' stores in your local area - please leave your comments below! - Jenny x

Koskela

Koskela showroom – Photo Lucy Feagins

Today we continue our tour of Sydney stores that 'tell a story', with a visit to an old favourite – Koskela.

Walking up the stairs into the huge light filled space of Koskela, you are greeted with a wall of Woolly Pockets filled with happy plants. Woolly Pockets are made from 100% recycled plastic bottles that have been industrially felted. Clever and beautiful, they are so sculptural and a lovely way to bring the outside in.

Woolly Pockets at Koskela – create your own hanging plant wall.

Inside, woven pandanus Yuta Badayala (In a new light) lampshades hang from the beams. A collaboration with the wonderful weavers from Elcho Islands Arts, these unique pieces use traditional bush string weaving techniques and materials collected from the landscape.

Woven pandanus Yuta Badayala lampshades from Elcho Islands Arts

The store is filled with treasures made by local artists and designers, as well as contemporary furniture pieces designed and made in Australia by Koskela.

Materials are natural and diverse.  Grass baskets woven by the Tjanpi Desert Weavers sit on elegant side tables made from recycled Telegraph poles. Tjanpi's mission is "to keep culture strong, maintain links with country and empower the keepers and teachers of desert weaving to build a strong enterprise through which to share their art and culture with the world'.

Handcrafted homewares at Koskela, including cushions from Better World Arts. Photos Lucy Feagins

There are Better World Arts cushions, which are a collaboration between Aboriginal artists and craftspeople from Kashmir, ceramics from Melbourne, timeless hand carved wooden utensils for the kitchen from Tasmania, and feather covered Tiwi Pukumani poles.

A tag on the beaded and embroidered felt baby slippers tells the touching story of their makers. Each week a group of Afghanistan women get together in Sydney’s west. They all gather around talking about the past weeks news, drinking hot tea and having a great laugh, while they are making these amazing one off felt slippers. The shoes represent the hope of everybody in the group starting a happy independent life in Australia.

Koskela recycled paper bags and hand embroidered baby slippers made by a group of women from Afghanistan living in Sydney’s west.

The carry bags for all the goodness are made in rural villages in India from recycled newspaper, and the proceeds go to food, shelter & education for homeless children.

The Koskela motto is "follow your heart, trust your judgement, do it with joy'. Who could argue with that!

Koskela
91 Campbell St
Surry Hills NSW 2010

ph 02 9280 0999

- Liane x