Who we are
Abuku brings a fresh take on modern lighting, combining Japan-inspired concepts with eco-conscious design. Each piece reflects the quiet innovation and convenience celebrated in contemporary Japanese culture.
Made from corn starch and sugar cane based PLA, we design, print and assemble all our lamps by hand in the UK. To minimise our environmental impact, we only make to order, with the exception of exhibitions and other events, where we print in small batches.
Our story
Back in 2008, I (Harri) co-founded Cherry Abuku as part of a sister duo. The brand focused on handmade plush toys and accessories inspired by travels to Japan, and later grew with the help of a couple of friends.
Each product was made by hand from start to finish, from initial concept and pattern making to machine sewing, right through to the final hand stitched details.
After ten eventful years of operation, Cherry Abuku went on an indefinite hiatus in 2018 due to other commitments.
The next few years saw me (Harri) venturing into a career in design, with my first role as a Graphic Designer including both creating illustrations using a hybrid of hand drawing and digital colouring, using these assets for a variety of projects such as magazines, brochures, products, marketing material and comic strips among others. After this came three busy years at a London design agency as a Digital Designer, where my focus was designing beautiful, yet functional web experiences.
Fast forward to 2025, a lot had changed since Cherry Abuku’s inception in 2008. Advancements in technology opened new avenues that had not been possible to explore during Cherry Abuku’s life cycle. 3D printing had become increasingly refined and accessible, with advanced machines becoming more and more affordable for the hobbyist.
With the itch for creating physical products returning, I started regularly borrowing my partner’s home 3D printer, with thoughts turning back to Cherry Abuku and its’ Japan inspired designs. With technical support from Ale and moral support from our dog Neo, I started both creating new and adapting previous concepts to work using an entirely different medium. After countless experiments and failed prototypes, we were finally happy with our first piece, The Fuji, and with that, our tribute to Cherry Abuku, Abuku, was born.
Although as an entirely new entity and with a new (but still tiny!) team, the original essence of Cherry Abuku was passed on to Abuku - we’re proud to be in control of every part of the process, designing, printing and assembling each piece personally here in the UK. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
FAQ
Do you ship worldwide?
Yes! We offer free delivery within the UK, shipping costs for other locations will be calculated at checkout.
How long will it take for my order to arrive?
Delivery times vary depending on your location, please check our shipping page for more information.
What's your returns policy?
You have 30 days after you receive your item to return it if you're not happy.
For us to accept the return, it will need to be in the same condition as you received it, and within it's original packaging with all components.
Please contact us at hello@abuku.co.uk to start your return.
