Creative Entrepreneur, Mixed Media and Fiber Artist, Instructor, Homemaker
RIVTAK, short for founder River Takada's name, is the progression of River's creative heart and mind. All products and packaging are made from remnant and salvage material, so most items are completely waste free. River is always experimenting with new projects, products and workshops ideas; embracing the spirit of re-use by investing in high quality materials that are left behind by factories (pre-consumer remnants), giving them a second life to serve a function in our everyday lives.
The brand is a collaboration of things River loves & her fascination for crafting with her hands: sewing, dyeing, screen printing, vintage shopping and mending, creating mobiles and jewelry, etc. River and the RIVTAK team carefully crafts each piece around a purpose... adornment and awareness.
With as much creativity, confidence & thoughtfulness as she has, the RIVTAK customer requires playful adornment with the edge of an educated consumer. You are invited to join River on this journey through slow fashion and see how a lifestyle filled with handmade things can bring joy into one's life.
River Takada has had a lifelong love affair with all things textiles, handmade and vintage. Rooted in all her work is a reclaimed story, an element of pre-loved beauty. Starting at a young age, River discovered a passion for working with her hands, and she started sewing on the machine in 3rd grade.
Born in Tokyo, Japan and raised in Carrboro, NC, River grew up with an appreciation for the constant change in nature & the beauty of functional art. Now in her early thirties, River is focusing on teaching sewing and textiles classes, sharing her passion, in addition to her love of designing new products. River is an art and LGBTQ community advocate who turned her dream of creative and social practice into a passionate career. On most days, you'll find her in her studio in Durham, NC, designing, sewing, screen printing and outside dyeing fabric. When River is not working for her business, she is teaching fiber arts at community centers around the state. She has taught at The Scrap Exchange, The ArtsCenter, The NC Museum of Art, Freeman’s Creative, NCSU Craft Center and Making Space; and many small private groups. River loves to work with kids and adults, empowering folks by sharing the creative and vocational powers of sewing and other creative skills.
Read more on the FAQ Page.
Listen to River’s interview about teaching kids to sew with Love to Sew Podcast (Episode 75) below or on any podcasting platform.
