The Jaab Design Company is a cottage industry based in Bangkok. It was founded in 2003 by Judith Saengprathum who has lived in Thailand since 1996. She is married with one daughter.

The story of The Jaab Design Company is a deeply personal one, a thriving tribute to Judith’s mother, Noreen Ferns Ong, who died of breast cancer when Judith and her sisters and brother were still at school. She was a devoted mother, sister, daughter and wonderful friend to all who knew her. It was Noreen who encouraged and inspired Judith’s creative talent. It is this talent that Judith uses when designing Jaab Cards.

From the very beginning, the heart of Judith’s idea was to both utilise and improve homegrown resources. She provides training and employment opportunities to unskilled women in her immediate neighbourhood, offering Fair Trade employment terms. She uses mulberry paper, not just because of its beautiful and unique texture but also because mulberry papermaking in Thailand is an age old tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation. It has given her product a distinctly Thai flavour in an international arena, and is environmentally safe. This has become one of the hallmarks of Jaab Cards.

When Judith started this project, she chose to honour the memory of her mother by donating part of the sales proceeds to a breast cancer outreach project that helps underprivileged women in Thailand. For more information, please see our Breast Cancer page.

Judith says…  
"I am privileged to be The Jaab Design Company – I have the loving support of my family, work that is my therapy and joy, a superb team around me and fantastic customers who buy from us time and time again, who often become friends and even distributors in various part of the world! And because of all this, we are able to donate money that helps educate underprivileged women about breast cancer and, more importantly, screen women who suspect cancer, and treat women who have breast cancer."

“Our Jaab Makers are fabulous ladies! They live in our neighbourhood, having come to Bangkok from a rather harsh village existence looking for opportunities to improve their lives. Our project offers each one training and a good, steady job with Fair Employment terms and social security benefits. They soon become part of our family! There is constant chatter and laughter as they work, always cheering when asked to work overtime to make up an order. They enjoy their environment and are proud of the work they do. I do believe they are the ones that put the “magic” into Jaab Cards!” 


Here are the Jaab Makers!

  

All work with Fair Trade Terms and Conditions.