Meet our next Maker we love, Rona Chang of OTTO FINN. Learn about how Rona’s using her printmaking background to create quality products with enduring character for kids and the home.
Maker:
Rona Chang, principle textile & pattern designer, maker, and chief operations manager.
Neighborhood:
OTTO FINN is located at Radiant Hall in Lawrenceville and I live minutes away in Upper Lawrenceville.
Tell us about your brand and why it’s the best
OTTO FINN LLC was created to provide fashionably functional children’s accessories and thoughtfully designed home products for the design conscious consumer. Rooted in designs that are characterized by simplicity, minimalism, and functionality, OTTO FINN offers handcrafted pieces of enduring character. Embodying a clean, modern, and natural aesthetic, OTTO FINN carefully considers a range of quality & sustainable materials such as organic cotton, recycled cotton, and flax linen to provide products that will prove timeless for our customers. We design, sew and screen print all our designs in our Pittsburgh studio. We are conscious of our environmental impact and make every effort to consider that in our fabrics, our water-based inks, and our packaging. OTTO FINN has achieved the requirements for the Bronze designation from the SWPA Sustainable Small Business Designation Program.
What is your background and the story behind why you started OTTO FINN?
I studied printmaking and photography at The Cooper Union School of Art. I worked for many years photographing art for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, other collections, galleries, and museums. Originally from NYC, my husband and I are currently renovating an old house in Pittsburgh with our toddler explorer, Otto. OTTO FINN began with me sewing clothes for Otto during his naps and wanting to create my own screen printed fabric.
What one product do we need to know about and why?
Our son Otto’s love for the TV show, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood is pretty infectious. The animation is an offshoot of the show “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” that I had grown up with and was based in Pittsburgh. Soon after moving into our house in Pittsburgh, I often found myself nudging Otto to say “Hi Neighbor” to the neighbors we passed along the street. “Hello Neighbor” is what Mr. Rogers used to say and now, in the new version of the show, Daniel Tiger says, “Hi Neighbor.” Our “Hi Neighbor” T’s are inspired by this easy act of friendliness.
In three words, Why do you love Pittsburgh?
Friends + family = home!
How can people find out more about OTTO FINN?
Instagram: @ottofinn
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ottofinn/
