Welcome to the heart of Ephemeral Designs 831. Our Sami Chen story is a journey of an Earth scientist artist and a neurodivergent artist who found a path to healing through art. We are more than a brand; we are a mission dedicated to sustainable brand philosophy and inclusive design, creating unique products that honor nature’s rhythms and celebrate human resilience.
Welcome to Ephemeral Designs 831, a brand born from the personal and professional journey of its founder, Dr. Sami Chen. The Sami Chen story is a unique one: an Earth scientist artist who blends her deep understanding of natural ecosystems with her creative expression.
As a neurodivergent artist, Sami found inspiration in spring ephemerals—plants that bloom brightly before resting. This concept resonated with her own life with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia, reminding her of the strength in cycles of rest and renewal.
Through Ephemeral Designs 831, Sami is dedicated to sharing her passion for ecosystem health and raising awareness for chronic illnesses. Her commitment to sustainable practices and empowering others is the very heart of our brand.
Our sustainable brand philosophy is simple: design products that integrate eco-friendly capacity and creative accessibility into your daily life.
As a slow fashion brand, we create high-quality, durable products with the belief that the most sustainable item is the one you already own. Our primary sustainability practice is encouraging reduction by embracing hand-me-downs, thrifting, and wearing clothes as long as possible. We offer upcycled clothing and custom iron-on designs to help you breathe new life into your wardrobe.
We're committed to supporting local and small community-oriented businesses. We prioritize eco-friendly options and are transparent about our practices, so you can feel good about where your products come from.
Our inclusive design approach means we believe accessibility is for everyone. We leverage design thinking to expand capacity and provide consumer products with mobility aid users in mind. We're also happy to create custom accessible clothing and tailor our designs to meet your specific support needs.
We actively seek out and collaborate with fellow creative individuals, especially those who identify as disabled, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, or women, to bring you unique and meaningful special collections.
For college and graduate school, Sami studied sustainability in detail, and learning about ocean and Earth Sciences shaped her artwork tremendously. Our dedication to sustainability guides every aspect of our business.
We offer eco-friendly prints, durable adaptive accessories, and sustainable home goods to replace single-use items in your everyday life.
Every piece features hand-illustrated art, honoring the beauty of nature and connecting our brand to our core values. Discover & learn with each design.
Our iron-on designs and upcycled clothing line offer budget-friendly ways to express your style while being kind to the planet.
Every design raises awareness about ecosystem health and environmental stewardship.
Guided by our commitment to a positive impact, We fight waste with high-quality home goods and accessories such as reusable canvas bags and organic kitchen towels, helping you reduce your use of single-use plastics and paper towels. We also make sustainable fashion accessible through our upcycling program, offering budget-friendly iron-on designs and a clothing take-back program that gives used items a second life.
At Ephemeral Designs 831, we believe in the power of education and art. Every product features unique, hand-illustrated art that reflects our founder’s scientific background. We use these designs to teach about ecosystem health and environmental stewardship. When you choose our products, you’re not just getting a beautiful design—you’re supporting a business that values creativity, sustainability, and education.
Shop our unique, sustainable collection and join us in making a positive impact today!
