Founder's Collection - TerraLiving's Take on Avant-Garde Terrariums

As a co-founder of TerraLiving, I am privileged to have daily contact with some of our brand's most distinctive and unique terrariums, both living or ZERO (Preserved) Moss designs.

In the countless conversations I've had with friends, business associates, and others intrigued by our work, a recurring question is often posed - what is my ultimate ambition in this venture? What is my exit strategy?

My response, there was no exit strategy as I didn't need one. My ultimate ambition doesn't point towards an exact end-game; it paints a picture of an ongoing journey. A journey towards creating avant-garde, bespoke designs that are as rare as striking. These are the pieces I fondly dub the "Founder's Collection".

Crafted meticulously, each piece in this collection is a testament to time, effort, and commitment to our craft. They may not satisfy the mass market; instead, they are the physical manifestation of a passionate vision. They are costly for me in terms of financial investment and the devotion they demand. But these are the dreams I am committed to fulfilling, regardless of the investment required, made possible by a strong team and supportive fans.

I was shaped by a scientific upbringing, and my early career was forged within the walls of a microbiology & mycology lab. The unique forms of lab equipment, from the elegant simplicity of a micro-pipette to the intricate beauty of a high-end bioreactor, have always sparked awe within me. When we started TerraLiving, we had hundreds, if not thousands, of design ideas since 2015.

This awe is the foundation of my desire to create terrariums that defy expectations. This desire led our team of scientists and designers to develop some of the most eye-catching geometric terrariums, biomorphic-inspired designs, and moss arrangements, including the innovative moss wall in a desktop form factor.

The general availability of multiple AI tools since last year enhances our creative process. These tools allow our ideas to be visualized, refined and realized quickly. Despite the controversy surrounding AI's potential to undermine original artists, we at TerraLiving have embraced it as a valuable tool in the early stages of our design process. We've contributed thousands of our terrariums photos and hundreds of design models to feed the AI, allowing it to learn from us and facilitate our work.

My valued partner in this creative journey, co-founder Ming Hui (now the boss of @moyashistudios), is instrumental in bringing our designs to life in 3D, even before they go into production.

Working on the "Founder's Collection" is an ongoing commitment without a set deadline. As an independent brand, we don't need to answer to investors or worry about financial reports. We have the freedom to create at our own pace, to pursue our vision of creating something truly unique. Even if this process takes years or even decades, the outcome will testify to our unwavering passion and commitment to creating a one-of-a-kind connection between nature and design.

Thank you for reading.

Raymond Yeow, Co-founder, TerraLiving