hap • tic: referring to the sense of touch

Haptic Lab is an interdisciplinary design studio founded by Brooklyn architect Emily Fischer in 2009. Specializing in tactile and sensory design, our custom handmade objects and spaces are designed to playfully explore the sense of touch and feel. Emily made her first quilted maps when her mother was diagnosed with glaucoma; these early projects were meant to be wayfinding tools for the visually impaired.

Haptic designs counter the rapid digitization of our lives by privileging the real, physical world our bodies occupy. Like a cane that safely guides someone down the sidewalk, our projects serve as tools for sensation. We make intricate quilts, kites, and objects that combine new technologies with traditional craft techniques -- infusing a sense of play and timelessness into everything we make.  

The Haptic Lab team is comprised of a small group of craft artisans, designers and tinkerers. Drawing upon our diverse creative skill sets, we seek to change the world of producing goods to bring about transparency, simplicity, sustainability and consciousness.

Emily Fischer (Founder) is the architect and textile artist who heads up Haptic Lab, a small design studio that seeks to inspire and create meaningful connections through the human quality of touch

Escaped from the world of advertising, Grace Meyers (Sales Director) is the fairy godmother to all things Wholesale at Haptic Lab. When she is not rocking wholesale orders, she is piecing her own quilts in her living room. Check out her Instagram for more: @gracedowney

Barbara Begley (Studio Manager) is an artist, writer, and art-enabler.  When she’s not helping the folks at Haptic Lab make textile magic, she curates and makes performance work with Brooklyn - based multidisciplinary art incubator Undiscovered Countries and makes costumes, fiber art, and books for herself and others. www.bkbartist.com @yourfemmemajesty

After a decade working with queer nonprofits, Anthoy Shimek (Wholesale Manager) joined Haptic Lab as a long-time fanboy with an obsession for all things textiles. Anthony supports our stockists, custom orders and handles all things shipping. When not at Haptic Lab Anthony weaves, crochets, knits, and quilts in bright colors and queer themes as an Artist in Residence at the Textile Arts Center. @shimshimnyc @_bytonz www.bytonz.com