Sojha Studio x Aiya Matcha: My First Brand Collaboration Experience

When I first started Sojha Studio, I never imagined that one day a company with more than a century of history would reach out to collaborate with me.

Earlier this year, I received a message from Aiya Matcha. They had discovered my work through social media and specifically fell in love with one of my handmade Matcha bowls. What started as a simple message quickly turned into an exciting collaboration: creating 14 one-of-a-kind Matcha bowls to celebrate Aiya's 138th anniversary.

As a small business owner and ceramic artist, it was both exciting and surprising. Most days, I'm focused on creating pieces in my studio, fulfilling orders, and sharing my work online. I never expected a brand of Aiya's size and history to find my work organically and want to partner with me.

One of the biggest challenges was that I don't typically work on production-style orders. My work is usually created in small batches, with each piece receiving individual attention throughout the making process. Producing 14 Matcha bowls within a deadline pushed me outside of my comfort zone and challenged me to think differently about my workflow.

The timing also made the project particularly demanding. May was one of the busiest months I've had as a business owner. Alongside the Aiya collaboration, I was preparing customer pre-orders, planning a new collection launch, creating content for social media, photographing products, and making updates to my website.

Running a small creative business often means wearing many hats. On any given day, I can be a ceramic artist, photographer, content creator, marketer, web designer, customer service representative, and shipping manager. Balancing all of those responsibilities while completing a collaboration of this scale taught me valuable lessons about prioritization, time management, and trusting my creative process.

Despite the long days and busy schedule, every challenge felt worthwhile. Seeing the finished Matcha bowls come together and knowing they would be part of Aiya's anniversary celebration was incredibly rewarding.

What I appreciate most about this collaboration is that it came from a genuine connection. Aiya discovered my work because they resonated with it, and together we were able to celebrate craftsmanship, creativity, and the ritual of enjoying Matcha.

I'm grateful for the opportunity, proud of what we created, and excited for what the future holds. This experience reminded me that sharing your work consistently can lead to opportunities you never expect.

Thank you to Aiya for believing in my work and for making my first brand collaboration such a memorable experience.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYScHWkPGrG/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Here's to many more creative collaborations ahead.