Taipei City-based calligraphy brush-maker Lam Sam Yick Co. Ltd. is renowned Taiwanwide for its time-tested adherence to exceptional craftsmanship and quality. But for the near 100-year-old company, the challenge lies not in how to maintain this reputation, but how to forge a new path in a time of rapid social and technological change.
Fourth-generation owner Lin Chang-long believes innovation is the only way to overcome this twin challenge and inject new energy into a traditional business facing dwindling sales. “We must think outside of the box to preserve our long-established work and expand the client base,” Lin said April 15 in an exclusive interview with Taiwan Today.
Founded in 1917 on the other side of the strait in Fuzhou, Fujian province, the business relocated to Taiwan 29 years later during a time of upheaval caused by the communist rebellion against the ROC government.
Although times were tough and resources scarce, Lin’s family still managed to familiarize themselves with different kinds of brush hairs and import raw materials from Southeast Asia to craft in-demand calligraphy brushes.
The company’s great success and reputation is illustrated by its storefront sign written by renowned calligrapher Yu Youren, former president of the ROC Control Yuan and a modern sage of the cursive script. Another piece hanging in the store was written by former Minister of Foreign Affairs George K.C. Yeh.
But over time, brushes have been replaced by other writing tools such as pen and pencils, Lin said, adding that local schools have not made calligraphy classes compulsory for more than a decade. “This trend has affected our bottom line dramatically and seen sales tumble by 60 percent.”
Lin Chang-long, fourth-generation owner of Lam Sam Yick, is pursuing innovative strategies in reviving the fortunes of the brushmaking company.
Lin, a law school graduate who took over the family business in 2000, first started addressing this downturn by expanding retail channels from stationery stores to other outlets and industries that use brushes.
“I visited bakeries, Buddhist supply stores and even printed circuit board companies because they all use brushes for making products,” Lin said. “Finally a manicure store agreed to work with me on developing brushes for painting nails.”
In 2008, Lin launched a cosmetic brush brand called LSY in an attempt to add the pursuit of external beauty to that of inner beauty traditionally sought by practitioners of calligraphy.
With a logo written in cursive script resembling a woman’s face, the fashionable brand quickly made its way into a major department store with a range of products priced between NT$399 (US$13) to NT$5,000.
Lin said the LSY venture taught him to open his mind to the individual needs of customers. “I needed to think in the same way as a female consumer. From design and color to packaging, LSY is made for beauty.”
For male clients, many who do not wear makeup, Lin cooperated with top-flight beauty consultant Liu Yen, introducing a line of facial cleansing brushes.
“We want to promote the concept of deep facial cleansing, which requires a more intensive approach than just a bit of soap and few splashes of water,” Lin said. “With our expertise in raw materials required for manufacturing high-quality brushes, the products we turn out effectively remove residual layers of makeup and create a radiant glow.”
Lam Sam Yick’s famous calligraphy brushes are made using 48 steps.
Lam Sam Yick’s famous calligraphy brushes are made using 48 steps.
According to Lin, his LSY makeup brushes now average NT$250,000 in monthly sales, accounting for 40 percent of the company’s total. This strong showing is paving the way for the brush-maker to launch even more creative products.
“LSY is officially authorized by Japan’s Sanrio Co. Ltd. to use the beloved Hello Kitty logo on its products,” Lin said, adding that the cute character will soon be seen on the company’s traditional calligraphy brushes.
Not shy about embracing new ideas, Lin said the company still preserves its proud brushmaking traditions. The experience and know-how in crafting calligraphy brushes were employed in producing LSY makeup tools and blending high quality hair from animals such as marten, squirrel and rabbit with synthetic fibers to create a range of products suitable for makeup application while pampering delicate skins, he added.
“Our brushes, for calligraphy and makeup, are handmade following a set of 48 steps,” he said. “All pelts must be washed, combed and hand-picked so as to create a specific shape. That’s why automated production is not an option.”
From blusher, eye shadow, foundation, fan powder, to face contour brushes, Lin said the company’s products have received rave reviews and their popularity is growing fast in Taiwan and the former British colony of Hong Kong. He also attributes this development to one of the leading characters in a hit Taiwan drama using LSY’s most popular heart-shaped brush.
LSY’s signature heart-shaped makeup brushes are hand-wrapped with loving attention to detail.
But Lin is not content to rest on his laurels. The new-age calligraphy brush-maker is looking to take the business online with an e-commerce shop, and has launched gift boxes containing calligraphy brushes and paperweights in the shapes of legendary beasts and cartoon animals.
The new products, already available at handcraft centers and the National Museum of History in Taipei City, make perfect souvenirs for overseas visitors and gifts for colleagues and friends, Lin said.
“We hope to also break into Taiwan’s tourism and cultural and creative industries so as to further raise our profile at home and abroad. We must keep looking to the future instead of living on past glories.” (JSM)
Write to Rachel Chan at ccchan@mofa.gov.tw