The Story of Light Soy
Sushi sparks an idea
After eating sushi one day in 2016, we were shocked by how many of pieces of disposable plastic we had used. Chopsticks, box, sachets for wasabi and ginger, and of course the iconic soy fish… a quick bite of sushi had produced a dozen bits of plastic waste!
More than just straws & bags
We all know about coffee cups, straws and plastic bags, and their impact on the environment, but there are billions of other single-use plastics in our economy. The little fish, although cute, are a powerful symbol of this waste.
The irony of plastic fish
We both grew up by the coast and love and respect the ocean, we know how vulnerable marine ecosystems are, and we know how important the health of the ocean is for humans too.
We found it a cruel irony that plastic fish would harm marine life, and potentially contaminate the fish we eat with microplastics. It’s a tragic cycle that must be broken.
Highlighting a big issue
We conceived of a high quality, sculptural version of these little fish, something that made a big statement out of a small, easily ignored thing., and was made to be treasured, not carelessly trashed.
We know we are responsible for the things we create and the things we use, and they should always be designed to have a minimal impact on the planet.
The journey begins...
We set out on our design journey, with sustainable design and premium quality as our guiding principles. We began by collecting all the different kinds of the little fish we could find (there are hundreds!) and identifying the forms and features that we liked.
3 years of development
We moved on to prototyping and testing, first with a 3D printed design to validate the idea, and then with countless rounds of prototyping and refining the glass blowing process. It took 2 years just to perfect the glass!
Considered design
We have carefully considered form, function and footprint at every stage, for every part, and designed each part to last.
We designed packaging with zero plastic – it’s made from biodegradable materials like recycled sugarcane.
Encouraging change
We hope Light Soy becomes a playful, everyday reminder for consumers and designers to think about their impact, and make better choices.
and making a difference
For every sale, we remove 3 kilograms of ocean-bound plastic from the environment, through donations to nonprofits cleaning up the ocean and preventing plastic pollution.
