Tulisan Totes Expand Into American Market

Tulisan, a collection of handmade, artist-illustrated prints that are applied to bags, totes and household accessories, announced its expansion into the U.S.  The line enters the American market, following tremendous success in Jakarta, Indonesia, with a vibrant collection of products based on the original illustrations of Tulisan's founder and award-winning creative director, Melissa Sunjaya.

"It is a dream come true to bring Tulisan to the U.S.," said Melissa Sunjaya, Founder and Creative Director of Tulisan. "We are deeply committed to delivering excellence in design and take great care in the craftsmanship of every product we make. With a process of eight steps that go into each design - from inspiration collecting and story development to the meticulous screening process, a new collection emerges - it is truly a labor of love."

Imbuing her works with a great sense of emotion, the element of storytelling is an essential component of Sunjaya's whimsical and illustrative designs. The two collections launching in the U.S., Celosia Cristata and Marigold are continuations of Tulisan's previous and most popular works, Les Papillons de Victor and The Secret Garden of Admiral Kasarung, released originally in Jakarta, January 2010.

As with all Tulisan collections, Celosia Cristata and Marigold, each have a unique story to tell: 

• Celosia Cristata is the Latin name of the flower used in Melissa's The Secret Garden of Admiral Kasarung collection. While delicate and sophisticated in its appearance, the Celosia Cristata is actually quite hearty and resilient. The flower grows beautifully indoors and out and was selected for its symbolism, representing the strength and beauty that lies within.

•  Marigold is a derivation of the children's book "Les Papillons de Victor" in which Sunjaya collaborated with a French writer, Virginie Kasse, to do the illustrations for the book. Marigold, also known as Calendula, was chosen to symbolize sacred love and affection, a theme that largely shapes the storyline of "Les Papillons de Victor."

The collections feature a multitude of playful, vibrant colors with a total of ten distinct palettes shared between the two designs. The color selections embody Sunjaya's signature style: pairing bold, rich colors with their complementing hues to illuminate a detailed narrative.

"These collections were designed to emit the fresh cheer of spring with palettes dynamic enough to use year round," said Sunjaya.

Celosia Cristata is available in six different color selections including: Red Rumor, Purple Plum, Green Grass, Smokey Sage, Yellow Mustard and Red Letter; Marigold is available in four color selections including: Blue Note, Yellow Sunflower, Orange Salmon and Orange Oriental.

Handcrafted in small batches, Tulisan products are made using eco-friendly, water based dyes while still maintaining rich, vibrant color. Each pattern is carefully silk-screened on to pure cotton canvas using a technique that can create slight variations in the color from product to product, making every individual product unique. The canvas is then treated with a non-toxic, protective coating that is free of formaldehyde, phthalate and PVC. This treatment provides water-resistant protection and ensures each piece retains long-lasting vibrancy and color.

The line includes an extensive selection of totes and bags, organizers and a variety of pouches and accessories that range from $9.50 - $87.00. Tulisan products are available at http://www.tulisan.com.

Tulisan began as Sunjaya's personal project to fulfill her lifelong passion for illustration and storytelling. Starting out as pen and ink sketches using pointillism, vignetting and cross-hatching, the illustrations are then layered with different artisan techniques to create colorful, meticulously composed prints. The prints are then silk-screened onto cotton canvas and careful crafted into bags, totes and household accessories.

About Tulisan 
Tulisan is a collection of handmade, artist-illustrated prints that are applied to bags, totes and household accessories. Founded in January 2010 by Melissa Sunjaya, the brand encapsulates a whimsical and quirky style using layered techniques and bold colors to create illustrative prints. The Tulisan team is a dynamic guild of storytellers, poets, illustrators, and talented dreamers. Each Tulisan product is accompanied by a short story to provide the history and context of the piece. The company is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia. In October 2011, Tulisan established the PEPE Project to benefit Kampus Diakonia Modern (KDM), a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing abandoned children off the streets in Jakarta. For more information visithttp://www.tulisan.com.