Copy of About Jin Designs

A Note from Jinny, Designer and Founder of Jin Designs

Thanks for taking the time to find out a bit more about Jin Designs. Jin is me - Jinny, actually short for Virginia. But that's just between you and me!

I’m a Graphic Designer based on the sunny south coast of the UK, in a place called Hove Actually, next to Brighton.

For a long time, I didn't really fit anywhere. I drifted between jobs, never knew what I wanted to do with my life and felt trapped by the 9-5. I had skills and ambition. I just didn't know where to put them. 

Then something shifted. I discovered graphic design through a temping job. From this I slowly started to develop a clean and simple style. 

I launched Jin Designs originally as a graphic and web design studio. But in 2013 I decided I wanted to create something physical. Something someone could hold, use every day, gift to loved ones - and even pass down through the generations.

The first designs were the Sitting Cat and Sleeping Cat. Simple outlines. Your cat, my cat, anyone's cat. They came from a place of feeling - after the loss of a much-loved pet I never got to say goodbye to. I'd been drawing her for years. Looking back on it, it was just a way of holding on to something I couldn’t hold on to anymore. 

Jin Designs started with fine bone china mugs, hand-decorated in Stoke. Simple animal designs, no clutter - and plenty of white space. Life is complicated enough. I wanted the designs to give us space to think, a moment to pause in the day.

Tea has always felt comforting to me. I remember when our first dog died and my mum made us all a really sweet cup of tea because she said it would help. I remember drinking tea with my grandma from her favourite mugs. I even still have the black cat mug my parents bought me for my eighth birthday.

Mugs hold memories. I think that’s why I started there.

Building a small business from scratch is never easy.

There's been years of learning, refining collections, finding the right UK manufacturers, navigating price rises, managing stock, wearing every hat. There have been months where sales have been low and moments when I wondered if anyone really understood what I was trying to do.

But something has kept me going.

I kept going when a design I loved didn’t sell.
I kept going when the big brands were everywhere and I was tiny in comparison.
I kept going because I believed there was space for simple, meaningful design.

And because I wanted to build something of my own.

Today, Jin Designs is a growing collection of homeware and gifts for animal lovers. Mugs, doormats, tableware. All very simple. Still uncluttered. And still designed here in Hove.

Pebbles joined the studio in 2018 and now oversees morale and marketing.

What drives me is the same as it was at the beginning. I design homeware and gifts to bring people small but meaningful moments. Something that connects them to others, to memories, or simply makes life feel a bit calmer.

If someone buys a mug as a quiet nod to a cat they’ve lost.
If a gift reminds two people of something they shared.
If a design gives someone a tiny moment of comfort on a difficult day.

That’s my why.

I can’t change the world. But I can make it feel a little calmer. A little kinder. A little more thoughtful.

And if you’ve chosen Jin Designs, I hope you feel that. I hope you feel valued. Because you’ve chosen something small, independent and made with care.

And I’m still excited about what comes next.

The first design collections to launch was the Cat Collections, specifically, Sitting Cat and Sleeping Cat. I love cats. The inspiration behind these comes from a cat I had when growing up. The Story behind Sleeping Cat explains where this came from. After the heartbreak of losing my cat, I never wanted to go through that pain again.

 

But if you avoid pain you also end up avoiding a lot of joy. And in September 2018, after many years of deliberating, I finally brought a cat into the studio. Pebbles, a female British Shorthair, joined the Jin Designs team and works hard in areas such as admin, marketing and generally running the place. She loves social media too and enjoys keeping you updated here: @pebbles_by_the_sea 

 

I care about where my products come from, who makes them and the impact they have on the environment. I realise this is an area that needs improvement as we adapt and grow but I'm small enough to learn and develop and make changes.

I work closely with UK manufacturers to produce a high quality standard of work, using sustainable products and production methods. You can watch this short video to see how a Jin Designs Mug is made.

I have a team in the warehouse who carefully pack and send my orders. This allows me to spend more time designing, marketing and running all other areas of the business. It's not easy and requires many hats! But I love what I do.

 

Jin Designs is a small but growing business. It's taken a lot of hard work to get to this point and there’s still a lot to do but I'm really enjoying the journey.

You can also find Jin Designs on other online platforms such as Not On The High Street and Etsy - and in selected shops across the UK and the world. 

Please get in touch if you have any comments or feedback. It's always good to hear from you.