Runner-up

Unique 2022
Photograph by Jared Sych | Written by Kendall Bistretzan

Kokedama

By Atelier Secret Kokedama! | Made in Calgary

Plant lovers, this one’s for you! Kokedama is a Japanese planting style that emphasizes the structure and nature of plants by growing them in a moss-covered soil ball rather than a typical pot. Atelier Secret Kokedama! owner, Cece Chow, has made hundreds — if not thousands — of kokedama in the last decade. The plants are beautiful and sure to be a conversation starter when you have guests over, but, for Chow, kokedama has a much deeper significance. When Chow moved from a career in tech to practicing the artistry of kokedama, she realized that she had the power to define herself, not her career and not the circumstances of her birth. As a queer, transgender woman, Chow’s business is more than just a means to earn a paycheck; it’s an expression of authenticity and a foundation for QTBIPOC people to find community.

$40 to $400
kokedama.ca