Meet Judith Asu Andersson | Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Judith Asu Andersson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Judith, how does your business help the community?
When we expected our daughter we lived in LA, and that stark contrast to my own childhood made me question my priorities and values. I knew time, connection, and community was things I wanted for my family and Askr & Embla was born out of the desire to create something sustainable that could offer that connection to us and others. I wanted new parents to feel it was OK to trust your intuition and shift focus from achieving to connecting. There is so many things we “must” haves and do and the idea behind the brand is to offer fewer and better things that are made in a sustainable manner without materials or processes that harms our children or the planet we live on. Askr & Embla grew out of the heart of Down Town Los Angels that despite its size has similarities to a small village. I knew from the start that I wanted to keep the production and sourcing local and sustainable (and as a one woman show with a baby on my hip it was a practical necessity too). I wanted to know the people that made my products and the personal relationships I build those early days is what has sustained us. The small community businesses we work with have had the patience and commitment to see us through when we struggled and later when we thrived it helped them forward too.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I always believed in digging where you stand and do the best with what you have. Growing up I had the privileged to learn a lot from the elders in my community, many of them where self sustaining, not only through agriculture but by the knowledge of their hands. To me that is the ultimate form of creativity.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love everything outdoors and that is probably how we’d spend most of our time. Hitting the shore early in the am kayaking along the Malibu shore, grabbing lunch at Duke’s or the Malibu pier. The Santa Monica mountains offers great views and a horse back ride along the endless trails is one of my favourite activities. Alias Books Atwater Village, it’s small but great selection (+ great lunch at Dunes next door). Funnel Mill Coffee Santa Monica, don’t let te unpretentious interior fool you. Hands down best coffee in town Mateos Ice cream Crenshaw Homemade Mexican style fruit ice cream in a historically interesting neighborhood Mizu 212 Sawtelle because Shabu Shabu never gets old.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a shout out to the collective community of brith workers around the Los Angeles area. Not only for the support and encouragement though the early days of Askr & Embla but for what they do for our local communities. Support and education through pregnancy, birth and post partum is key for a positive and safe birth experience, yet it remains inaccessible to many families. Their relentless work to educate families on non invasive birth practices, nursing, holistic pre and post natal care and creating community for new parents has been key to the paradigm shift we see right now.

Website: www.askrembla.com
Instagram: @askrembla