The scissors from the Taiwanese brand Tools to Liveby

The scissors from the Taiwanese brand Tools to Liveby, products as elegant as they are functional

The products of the Taiwanese brand Tools to Liveby aim to make our daily lives more pleasant. These are essential stationery items that everyone uses every day, such as pens or scissors, but they are 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 enjoyable. The care given to the finishing of Tools to Liveby products is even reflected in the brand's packaging, which also becomes a true decorative object. 

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 store. While today the brand has two very popular stores in Taiwan, one in Kaohsiung and one in Taipei, it was in a friend's garage that she took the leap to open her very first stationery store. 

Karen Yang is a true stationery enthusiast. When she travels abroad, whether for leisure or business, she cannot resist visiting every stationery store she comes across in order to find little treasures. She especially loves the “classics,” meaning elegant objects with timeless aesthetics and practicality. 

Before opening her own store, Karen Yang was a graphic designer at an advertising agency and loved observing the type of stationery her clients used. She realized that many did not really pay attention to the type of product they used and that, in general, many Taiwanese were not familiar with the international brands she loved so much. This is why she wanted to share her passion with her compatriots and introduce them to quality brands by opening her own stationery store. 

The first store opened in a friend's garage in Taipei, which was completely renovated and decorated in the spirit of a concept store. Initially intrigued by this unusual exterior, many customers visited the store and discovered stationery products from around the world, such as the Traveler's notebook, the customizable travel journals from the Japanese brand Traveler's Company. The store then became a true meeting point for all stationery enthusiasts in the country, as well as for newcomers who were able to discover the addictive world of stationery. 

Karen Yang selects all the international products that join the shelves of her store. They are chosen mainly according to four criteria: they must be aesthetic, functional, in a classic/timeless style, and of high quality. 

After introducing many stationery products to their customers, it was only natural that Karen Yang and her husband Marco Tsai started creating and marketing their own products. In line with the brand's motto: “the uncommon beauty in common things,” Tools to Liveby products are above all items used daily. These products thus joined those of other brands in their stores and quickly gained success both in Taiwan and internationally.  

Tools to Liveby brand products

The products created by the brand Tools to Liveby are above all products we all use daily, whether at work or at home. It is therefore quite natural that among the products there is an extensive range of writing-related items, such as pens, mechanical pencils, and fountain pens. The brand also sells notebooks for practicing calligraphy and thus improving handwriting. There are also useful accessories like paper clips, clips, rulers, and a magnificent collection of scissors. 

Since all these products are intended to be used daily, they must above all be functional. Aesthetics are important, but they must not come at the expense of practicality. There is nothing more frustrating than owning a beautiful pen that does not write properly or does not feel good in the hand. 

Tools to Liveby products are therefore a clever blend of functionality and elegance, allowing us to own objects whose use makes us happy. Whether at work or during a creative hobby, it is much more enjoyable to be able to write with a beautiful pen whose tip glides perfectly on paper, to use scissors that cut on the first try, or to clip documents together with elegant paperclips. 

The Tools to Liveby scissors

Just like pens, scissors are among those objects that are essential to our daily lives and of which we all have at least one pair at home. While one might think any pair will do, you quickly realize the importance of having “good scissors that cut.” Tools to Liveby scissors are precisely designed to cut perfectly. They are produced in Taiwan, made with Japanese stainless steel coated with Teflon. Teflon is a non-stick coating that prevents glue or any other residue from sticking to the blades, which would otherwise hinder cutting. The handles are reinforced with rubber for more comfort and to prevent them from hurting your fingers during prolonged use. 

In addition to being designed to be functional, the Tools to Liveby scissors are very elegant. They are made in a very clean style, with the brand's logo engraved as the only decoration. Their aesthetic is also timeless and reminiscent of old stationery items that you could perfectly find at an antique dealer. 

The scissors are available in several different sizes, each offered in two elegant colors: black and gold. The smallest version, measuring 7.7 cm, is perfect for being stored in an Okamoto Shoten brand pouch or carried in a handbag. It’s always very practical to have a pair of scissors on hand, whether to cut a stray thread or a piece of paper. Their small size, which makes these scissors particularly adorable, also makes them a perfect accessory for creative hobbies, like a travel journal or a bullet journal, outside the home, sitting at a café terrace for example. 

The largest version, measuring 22.5 cm, has long blades that are perfect for tasks requiring straight cuts. There is also a version with wider handles, for even more comfort during long cutting sessions. As for the latest version, with a more classic size (16.5 cm), it is perfect for occasional tasks, whether at the office or at home. 

When the packaging is as elegant as the product

The joy of owning a product from the Tools to Liveby brand begins with the packaging. The brand indeed takes great care to provide magnificent packaging for all its products, which then become true decorative objects. The packaging of Tools to Liveby scissors, with their vintage aesthetic, thus become superb cases in which you store your scissors after use and proudly display on your desk or in a storage box from the Toyo Steel brand, for example. 

Since Tools to Liveby products are designed to last over time, they naturally fit into a waste reduction approach. This approach also applies to the packaging, as it is unthinkable to throw them in the trash because they are so beautiful. Each type of scissors has a case of a different size and color, which almost makes you want to collect them all. The decoration on the pouch features an embossed design created with hot stamping, a technique that transfers metallic patterns onto a surface, for a high-end finish with a beautiful effect. You can also read on the pouches the motto of Tools to Liveby: “the uncommon beauty in common things,” which perfectly sums up the spirit of the brand. 

You’ve understood, owning a pair of scissors from the Tools to Liveby brand means having in your hands a product as elegant as it is functional. Tools to Liveby brilliantly succeeds in brightening our daily lives with objects as ordinary as scissors. Whether for daily or occasional use, at work, at home, or for creative hobbies, there is surely a pair of Tools to Liveby scissors that suits you and will make you happy.