The Neko Design Story

Neko Design is a collective of four talented young designers based in Mexico City. They produce extraordinary yet functional products which are designed to have as little effect on the environment as possible.

Hiroshi, Alice, Karime and Daniel are the creative brains that make up Neko. As well as product design, they have gained recognition from their architectural and industrial design projects in their native Mexico. From their graffiti-proof signs in local parks to their recyclable laptop bags slung over a city dweller’s shoulder, Neko’s designs reflect and contribute to the eccentric fabric of Mexico City. Neko are now bringing their unique Mexican designs to the UK, launching their range exclusively with Solstus.

Neko’s products are innovative and imaginative, quirky and curious. Whether they are adorned on your self or in your home, every product and accessory tells a story and starts a conversation. Be it a bird sitting in a nest of paperclips (the Nest paper clip holder) or the Orbit bracelet that ‘floats’, every product in the range has a particular twist, which once discovered will provoke endless play and never fail to raise a smile. Each product is truly individual, as the designers personally hand-finish every product, ensuring no two products are ever the same.

So fun and full of imagination, it’s easy to forget that Neko’s designs have a serious side too. Neko are passionately committed to their eco credentials and refer to the industry-recognised ‘Lifecycle Design Strategy’ Wheel to ensure that every level of the product life cycle causes the lowest possible impact to the environment. Using locally sourced materials, minimising waste and reducing product weights are just a handful of the Wheel’s strategies which Neko follow.

Neko’s responsible attitude extends beyond their commitment to sustainability. The designers regularly take on university students for work experience placements and devote time and energy to training and supporting them. They are as generous as they can be and insist on paying a fair wage above the market rate.

Neko’s distinctive designs are proof that a responsible consideration for the environment helps rather than hinders great design and the awards, contracts and commissions that they have won so far are testament to this. Neko are not only leading the way in Latin American design, but setting a precedent for eco consciousness that designers of all generations can be inspired by.