Why “Art You Can Live With”? — A Conversation About ACD, Chinese Heritage, and Modern Design

Why “Art You Can Live With”? — A Conversation with ACD

In this interview-style Q&A, we discuss why ACD chose its brand slogan, why we are committed to Chinese heritage crafts, and what inspires our mission to bring traditional art into modern life.

Q1: What inspired the name ACD — ArtChineseDesign?

ACD stands for Art Chinese Design, but the meaning goes much deeper than the three words suggest.
The name represents a bridge:

• a bridge between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary aesthetics

• a bridge between Chinese artisans and global audiences

• a bridge between art and everyday life

We wanted a name that honors culture without being old-fashioned, and embraces design without losing the soul of craftsmanship. ACD was the most natural expression of that balance.

Q2: Why is your slogan “Art You Can Live With”?

Because art should not only be admired behind glass.

In China’s heritage crafts—whether it’s Suzhou embroidery or lacquerware—beauty was never meant to stay confined to museums. These works were always intended to be used, touched, worn, and lived with.

Our slogan reflects three values:

1. Art should be part of daily life, not distant or intimidating

2. Craftsmanship carries emotional warmth, especially handmade items

3. Cultural heritage can live in a modern home, not just in history books

“Art You Can Live With” is our way of reminding customers that beauty becomes more meaningful when it enters your everyday rituals.

Q3: Why did you choose to work with Chinese intangible cultural heritage (ICH) crafts?

There are two reasons: responsibility and love.

✔ Responsibility

Many heritage crafts face a quiet crisis.
Master artisans are aging; young people rarely choose these professions; some techniques risk disappearing entirely.

Working with these crafts isn’t just a business.
It’s a way to pass on traditions that have survived dynasties, wars, and modern industrialization.

✔ Love

We were deeply moved by the precision, patience, and poetry in these crafts.

• A single piece of Suzhou embroidery may require months

• A lacquer box may need dozens of layers

• A silk thread may be split into 1/16 of its original thickness

These are not “products.”
They are devotions—time, skill, and breath woven into something tangible.

Promoting these crafts is the most natural thing for us.
We love them, and we want the world to love them too.

Q4: Why do you believe these traditional crafts appeal to Western audiences?

Because global consumers are entering a new era of appreciation:

• They want authentic stories, not mass production

• They want handmade value, not disposable items

• They want cultural depth, not generic design

Chinese heritage crafts offer all three.

There is also a strong emotional pull.
People can feel the human presence in these pieces—the patience, the imperfections, the life inside each stitch or lacquer layer.

This is something machine-made products can never replicate.

Q5: How does ACD reinterpret heritage crafts for the modern world?

We never modernize for the sake of being trendy.
Instead, we focus on relevance.

We reinterpret heritage through:

• Modern color palettes

• Minimalist framing and presentation

• Functional objects like jewelry boxes, scarves, décor, gifts

• High-end lifestyle positioning

• Digital storytelling (video, photography, artisan interviews)

Our goal is not to change the craft, but to help people see it with fresh eyes.

Q6: What is the biggest challenge in building a brand around heritage crafts?

The greatest challenge is also our greatest advantage:

Time.

Traditional crafts require time—long hours, slow production, small output.
This makes scaling difficult, but it also defines our uniqueness.

We embrace slow production as part of our identity.
ACD is not about fast turnover—
it’s about building a world where patience, detail, and beauty still matter.

Q7: What do you hope ACD will bring to the world?

We hope ACD becomes a place where:

• people discover the depth of Chinese craftsmanship

• artisans receive dignity, appreciation, and fair income

• cultural heritage becomes part of modern homes

• the world connects through beauty and stories

If a Suzhou embroidery piece in someone’s home sparks even a moment of curiosity or awe—then our mission is already fulfilled.

Closing Note

At ACD, we believe art is not a luxury reserved for galleries.
It is something you can hold in your hands, wear on your heart, and place in your home.

This is why we chose our slogan.

This is why we chose our mission.

This is why we chose ACD.