Words by: Tanya Singh and 5IVE SIS Founders
Photo credit: 5IVE SIS

 

Continuing the legacy of their family, five sisters are on a path to revolutionize how tin is used as a material. 

 

 

 

Based in Thailand, 5IVE SIS is a metalware brand, working mainly with pewter, aiming to translate oriental culture into luxury homeware. Their company name comes from the founder's family of 5 sisters, each of whom have an eye for exquisite design and luxury accessories. 

 

Could you tell us a little bit about each of your backgrounds? 

 

We are a Thai Chinese family and all five of us live together in Chinatown in Bangkok. We come from a longline of Thai goldsmiths, inheriting their legacy of exquisite quality craftsmanship. We envision ourselves as the newest generation of artisans, deeply passionate about designing with pewter, a very special material. Our aim is to always create a legendary blend of craft and creativity that not only brings pewter to life but also reflects on life itself with its unique identity. 

The first sister, Natcha Anansaringkarn, holds graduate and postgraduate degrees in Communication Art. She primarily handles sales and marketing and also contributes as a conceptual designer for some collections. Tmon Anansaringkarn, the second in line has studied economics in Bangkok and completed a Master’s degree in management in the Netherlands. She is our overseas reviewer and handles customer service. Titima Anansaringkarn with a degree in economics from China takes care of our marketing in that marketing, administration, and also doubles up as a conceptual designer. Rossukon Anansaringkarn, the fourth sister, studied law but is deeply passionate about the arts. She handles marketing, compliance, and also designs for the company. Jutamas Anansaringkarn has a degree in luxury management and is the primary designer. 

 

 

 

Could you explain the design and production process to us? 

 

Every collection has a concept and a storyline behind it. The creative process always starts with a brainstorming session among us sisters to narrow down the concepts for each season. After that, we dive into researching the selected concepts with current trends and customer behaviours in mind. Following the conceptual phase, the designers take over and start to work on prototypes. The prototypes are then reviewed by our team collectively and proceed to production.  

We have a network of gifted artisans that we work with. These craftsmen help us bring our vision to life. We also test all our products with target consumers. 

 

 

 

 

Why pewter? What is special about the material? 

 

Pewter is primarily made from tin with it being between 90-97% of the composition. The other materials used in the composition of pewter are copper and antimony. Depending on the amount of tin in the pewter, there are several levels. At 5IVE SIS, we use the finest pewter with tin at 97%.   

Natural tin is valuable and has many special properties. It has been counted among precious metals for ages. Although it’s a metal, it has a soft and malleable texture. This allows us to carve it into delicate forms without affecting its sturdiness or durability. Moreover, tin is also extremely safe for use with edibles and liquids. 

 

 

The Birth Month Flower Collection and Chinese Zodiac Collection beautifully blend culture with modernity.

 

What inspires your designs? 

 

A lot of the inspiration comes from the world around us and our travels. We are also inspired by our heritage – both Thai and Chinese. With each product and collection, our primary goal is to translate our culture and experiences into elegant designs that can be appreciated by a contemporary audience.