Behind the Scenes: The Challenges, the Progress, and the Restocks to Come

So much has happened this year, and I wanted to take a moment to share an update with you all. I am not always able to reply to every comment and message, as new ones come in, a few unfortunately get lost along the way. By the way, for those who have wondered or asked, yes, it is really me answering and I am deeply grateful that we have a way to directly connect!

One year ago I mentioned that I wanted to be more present in the blog, write more about brushes, behind the scenes, reviews and also about Japan and my trips – I miss this a lot and I am working on it.
I also said that I wanted to share an update about what brushes will change within “Sonia G”. The reality is that the past year has been incredibly eventful. Every time I felt ready to share an official update, something new happened that directly affected our plans. Then something else happened, and then something else again…

For those of you who are interested in behind the scenes stories, I am happy to share one example. On my birthday this April, I was informed that we had to stop production, with no clear idea of when it could resume. It was heartbreaking news to receive.
Although we make our handles and brushes in Japan, for example the lacquers that go on our handles require components that we could not obtain anymore (issue related to the Strait of Hormuz). We had to find a way around this, and it took time. It required new research and development, durability tests, certifications and so on.
The techniques and materials involved in our production are among the best available, and finding suitable replacements that meet our standards was a significant challenge!

Because of this reality, the word “permanent” is becoming increasingly difficult to guarantee. Whether it is a new design or a future restock, we have to evaluate the feasibility of every production batch individually.

At the same time, material costs continued to rise, while shipping and logistics expenses increased dramatically. I love a challenge, but when all add up, it becomes very difficult, especially for a company as small as ours.

Our brushes are exceptionally costly to produce, and their price reflects their true manufacturing cost. If production costs were lower, these challenges would not carry the same weight.
For those reasons and for us, every change has a meaningful impact but my mission remains unchanged, we all want to continue creating unique brushes, support the artisans who make them possible and offer them at the most reasonable price that we can. We also have some wonderful projects currently in development. So, despite the challenges, we remain hopeful!

One thing that we are all grateful for is the close relationship with our manufacturers. Thanks to this, we understand the reasons behind the delays and the struggles they face, and we can take quick decisions. We see small companies closing, unexpected delays becoming more common, and long-established strategies having to change. From a customer’s perspective, it can all feel very confusing.

There were also challenges this year that went beyond production and logistics. We suffered personal losses as well. Earlier this year, we lost a dear artisan and friend in Kumano and these events have left many of us heartbroken.

When I look back at everything we have faced over the past year, both professionally and personally, I feel incredibly grateful that we are still here and that we are able to continue making brushes. So I want to thank you for being here and for your patience, your messages, love and continuous support. Some of you have been with me since the very beginning and this is extremely encouraging and comforting! I need to tell you that it helps a lot.

The restocks to come

Whenever I am able to share more about what is changing, what is coming or being discontinued and that we have a little more clarity, I will be back with another update! For example about the Face Alpines, the Mini Essentials and others.

Today’s update is to share that we just recently managed to start production for some of the Superstars that were in very high demand, these are the Builder 2, Crease 1, Smudger 1, Compact Crease, Soft Worker and Detail 2. Detail 2 will be the first arriving as it has been in production for a while now, hopefully we will see it this October.

The Synthetics Builder is also in production and this is really wonderful news!

We are also currently working on restocking some other brushes like the Buffer Pro, the Master Face, the Smooth Buffer, Inochige and Set & Sculpt, these will come hopefully in October or November. There may be other little releases along the way but it’s too soon to mention them today.

Many of you have inquired about the Oval Hybrid (and other out of stock brushes), but administrative processes take so much time. On the brush’s page, there is a “Email me” button where you can register your interest in the brush. It’s not something we think of doing necessarily, but it helps prioritize restocks. Your reviews are also very helpful and I am very grateful that you take the time to write them!

Reviews, wish lists, and registering for notifications via the Email Me button are actually very helpful!

The progress

The ongoing restocks are already good news, I know that many of you are waiting for these so thank you so much for your patience!!
I do have some other good news, in parallel of preparing these restocks, we are working on projects that are pretty amazing and exciting. My mission is also to continue to work with the artisans in Japan, showcase craftsmanship, work with new materials and incorporate new techniques, we are happy to say that this is what we have been doing and that we are sincerely looking forward for what is to come.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out in the comment section below!

Thank you, as always, for being here. I hope your weekend is filled with peaceful moments, renewed energy, and plenty little moments of joy!