A decade of craft, risk, and reinvention—@cuscuz.studio turns discarded wood into radical eyewear and sculptural home objects. A conversation on material, legacy and the art of making things last.
@MOCHIS To start off, let's talk about the core of Cuscuz Studio. With its unique approach to eyewear design, it clearly stands apart from mainstream brands. If someone were discovering the brand for the first time, what’s the one thing you’d want them to understand about it?
@AM Cuscuz is a brand based on responsibility. Our products are handmade with reused natural materials. Each product aims to convey values of well-being, consumption habits based on a slow model, and a harmony between society and the environment.
We communicate stories, share messages, and awaken emotions, creating a deeper connection between the object and the person who wears it.
@MOCHIS Creative tensions can arise in any partnership, but they’re particularly interesting when family is involved. Was there ever a moment when you and your father completely disagreed? How did you work through it?
@AM The team is just me and my father, working as a team, combining design with craft, making the best of both worlds. We have a great relationship, although it can sometimes be challenging to conceptualize all my ideas while considering the ergonomics of the object in relation to the human body and the natural limitations of the material itself.
@MOCHIS Did you ever feel like working with wood was a mistake? What kept you pushing forward instead of choosing a more conventional material?
@AM We use materials based on the reuse of waste. We collect wood from objects considered to be at the end of their life cycle or scraps discarded by factories.
By taking advantage of the original properties of these materials and without any chemical intervention, we give them a new and better purpose. This extends their life cycle without degrading their quality or composition.
Throughout this process, we have worked with many types of wood that, either due to their poor condition or natural characteristics, proved to be difficult to work with or even led to failed experiments.
Initially, we used pine because of its lightness, but we soon realized that its grain was too hard, preventing us from achieving the precise cuts we wanted. Over time, we also discovered that harder woods make the glasses more fragile, increasing the risk of breakage.
So, we had to find more flexible woods, soft enough to work with but strong enough not to break. For example, we now use cherry wood and olive wood, which not only have great durability but also smell amazing!
Beyond the environmental benefits, working with wood allows us to achieve incredible results, different textures, exclusivity, and a sense of boldness.
It also gives us the unique experience of
crafting each piece individually for
every person, where quality always
comes before quantity.
@MOCHIS Every creative journey has its ups and downs. Was there ever a moment when you felt you lost sight of your purpose? How did you work through that?
@AM Every brand goes through challenging phases and moments of creative exhaustion. Cuscuz has had several pauses over the years, but we always strive to reinvent ourselves. Each year, we find new ways to envolve whether through collaborations or by creating new objects.
We started with sunglasses, and from the leftover materials of that production, we designed earrings, minimizing waste as much as possible. Then came keychains, decorative and functional home objects, and one of our best-sellers, our logo caps.
Reinvention
is how we push
forward and keep creating.
@MOCHIS Looking back, if you could have a conversation with your past self, just before launching Cuscuz Studio, what would you say?
@AM This year, we celebrate 10 years of Cuscuz. What started in 2015 as just a college project quickly became a pioneering brand in what is now widely discussed — sustainable design and the value of handmade craftsmanship.
Looking back, I
would simply tell myself:
take more risks!
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