From busy work schedules to balancing family obligations and a social life, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of your routine.
As an owner of a private student travel business and a senior fashion designer, Fort Lauderdale residents Todd and Vanessa Steinberg were no strangers to the stresses of everyday life.
This is why in October 2017, the couple decided to create Komuso Design, a wellness jewelry company featuring pieces specifically made to encourage mindfulness and relaxation through breathing techniques.
After finding inspiration while on a stroll through Flagler Village’s monthly art walk event, the two designed their signature necklace, called The Shift.
“We ran into a booth with a man selling these cool looking antique flutes,” Todd says. “As we tinkered with the flute, he told us about the legend of the Komusō monks of 17th century Japan.”
Mimicking the shape of the flute, The Shift doubles as both a necklace and a tool to reduce stress through meditative breathing.
“The monks would use flutes to consciously breathe and meditate because it slowed their breath,” Todd explains. “Rather than play music though, we thought that by wearing a beautiful keepsake, people could use it as a tool to be calm or a reminder to slow down.”
Partnering with psychotherapist Dr. Daniel Epstein, the couple carefully crafted the piece so that when a wearer blows into it, it extends exhalation to 10 seconds—a technique that has been proven to slow the heart rate, decrease blood pressure, relax muscles, lower cortisol levels, improve focus and reduce anxiety.
Since being founded, the company has grown exponentially, and The Shift has already been featured in a variety of publications, including Oxygen Magazine, Shape Magazine, Bustle, People and Livingly.
“I’d love to attribute the fast growth to our genius marketing plan or savvy start-up skills, but the product simply spoke for itself because it genuinely helped people, just like it helped us,” Todd says.
Currently available in a variety of colors for both men and women on the company’s website, the couple is planning to expand their line to include pieces for children, too.
“We’re in the final stages of developing a Children’s Shift,” Todd says. “It’s a bracelet made of silicon that’s both effective and affordable, so kids can learn to control their emotions through breathing and wear their commitment to a lifestyle of mindfulness.”
To find out more information about Komuso Design, visit komusodesign.com.
Photos courtesy of Komuso Design
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