Our story — Meet Jiayi
I spent over three decades in Sydney working on supply chains for major retailers. It was a world of spreadsheets, deadlines, and big numbers. By the time I hit my late 40s, I could tell you the cost of shipping a container from Shanghai to Melbourne down to the cent, but I couldn't tell you the last time I slowed down to enjoy my own home. In 2018, I realised I wanted out before I burned out for good.
Before this, my life was all about precision and efficiency. I grew up in Brisbane, and my parents ran a small grocery store. Watching them balance the books taught me the value of hard work, but also the toll it took. That memory stuck with me as I climbed the corporate ladder, always thinking I'd eventually do something different, something slower. After years of dreaming, I finally made the leap.
In mid-2020, I packed up my Sydney life and moved to Coffs Harbour. I'd been there many times on work trips and always thought it would be a good place to start fresh. I wanted to create something tangible, something people would use and enjoy in their day-to-day lives. Drawing on my experience sourcing materials, I teamed up with local suppliers and craftspeople to get Revel Goods off the ground. I still remember the first batch of products we shipped — 48 items, all packed on my dining table with help from a neighbour. It felt like the first real thing I'd made in years.
These days, we're still based in Coffs Harbour, and I work out of a small workshop near the Jetty. We’ve grown slowly, focusing on thoughtful products that fit into real homes. I never expected to sell solar lanterns or bamboo coffee sets, but here we are, and I’m grateful for it every day. If you’re reading this, thanks for being part of the journey.
— Take care, enjoy the little things — Jiayi, Jiayi Lin
Journal
RevelGlow Lantern and Autumn’s Early Evenings
Autumn in Coffs Harbour settles early, and the RevelGlow Lantern turns those first dusky hours into something warmer.
Autumn comes softly to Coffs Harbour. The evenings start drawing in by late March, much earlier than I always think they will. I’ve been keeping a RevelGlow Solar Lantern out on the back deck, and it’s proven itself during this seasonal shift. It catches enough daylight even on overcast days to carry its glow for hours after dark. There’s something reassuring about watching it come on, no switches required, just a faint hum of stored sunlight.
This time of year, I like to take an hour outside after dinner, even if only wrapped in a jumper. The deck overlooks a bit of scrubby bush, and the light from the lantern throws these long shadows across the gum trees. I don’t need much light — the point is to let the evening settle in around me — but this amount feels right. Enough to sip a tea and not spill it.
I’ve noticed that it works better placed somewhere with at least five hours of direct sunlight during the day. This deck gets a good stretch of morning sun, which is why I leave it out there. If you’re in a shadier spot, it might struggle. Once, I forgot it outside during a heavy overnight rain, and I carried it in the next morning with water pooling in the shallow lip around the base. Dried out fine. Still works.
One thing I’ve kept wondering about is how long it’ll last. I’ve read the specs, but specs rarely tell you how things really weather time. My gut says it’s built well enough to hold up, though. So far, two months in, no complaints, and there’s something to be said for a light that doesn’t need a constant rotation of batteries or plugs.
It’s one of those reliable pieces that I’ve come to appreciate more since moving here. The kind of thing that seems simple at first but ends up part of your daily rhythm before you’ve noticed. Autumn evenings are better for it.
Finding the EcoBrew Set at Lawson’s Market
A winter morning at Lawson’s Market led to a new supplier for bamboo coffee sets with surprising resilience.
I found our EcoBrew Bamboo Coffee Set supplier standing behind a tiny stall at Lawson’s Market last winter. That market, down in the centre of Coffs on the first Saturday of each month, has always had a bit of everything — macadamia honey, secondhand books, a bloke selling antique farming tools. This one was selling bamboo pieces, the kind of understated shapes that get overlooked when stalls are packed.
What caught me was the feel of the bamboo. I asked if I could hold one of the cups, and it was lighter than I expected but somehow sturdy. The woman running the stall told me it was Moso bamboo, sourced from managed farms in northern Queensland. She boiled the process down to a fascinating five-minute explanation. The fibres are pressed to this dense sheet, almost like ply, but harder. I couldn’t stop knocking the thing against my knuckles.
I ordered ten pieces on the spot. Not because I had a plan, mind you, but because the design wouldn’t stop nudging at me. They came in two weeks later, and I spent hours testing them — boiling water, long soaks in tea-stained mugs, a knock against the edge of the sink. Not a single crack. That sealed the deal, though I don’t think she quite believed me when I called the following week to place an order for 300.
The supplier still sends each batch in small runs, and I think that’s part of why they’re so good. She keeps things manageable, only working with farms she’s visited herself. Each batch has its quirks — a slightly darker grain, maybe, or a faint smell of bamboo when unpacked — but there’s a charm to it. Perfect consistency gets boring.
I keep one of the cups in my kitchen now. I’ve washed it at least thirty times by now, and it’s holding up better than some ceramic mugs I’ve owned. And every time I see it, I think about that freezing morning at the market, standing there with half-numb fingers and a hot coffee in my other hand.
A Small Studio Behind Our Clay Plates
Each maker Clay Dinner Plate you hold has travelled through near 48 hours of kiln work before it reaches your hands.
I spent a day last month with the potter who makes our maker Clay Dinner Plates. Her studio is just outside Bellingen, tucked up a gravel road that my car protested the entire way. It’s a simple space — half shed, half greenhouse — with more than a dozen half-finished pieces sitting in various stages of drying. I mistook her kiln for a small pizza oven at first glance. She laughed at that.
The process is slower than I imagined. Each batch takes almost 48 hours once you factor in the firing. The kiln gets up to just over 1,200 degrees Celsius during the first firing to vitrify the clay. Then there’s a second firing after glazing, and that feels even hotter, though it’s technically cooler. She had one batch cooling as I arrived, and you could feel the heat radiating off it from six feet away.
The clay itself is dug from a site not far from Kempsey. She mixes it with other clays to get the texture she wants. I asked why not stick with one. Her response was simple: no single clay does it all. The grainy base helps with structure, and the finer top layer adds the finish. If you look closely at the back of the plates, you can still see faint swirls where the clays meet.
What struck me most were the imperfections she allows. A small finger drag in the glaze or an uneven edge curve. She called them honest, which felt right. I wouldn’t have noticed most of them unless she pointed them out, but it adds something intangible to the whole piece. I asked if that ever bothered her customers. She shook her head. "If they don’t like it, they don’t buy it. Works for me."
I drove back with four warm plates sitting in the boot, still holding a subtle smokiness from the kiln. They’re already in rotation at home, though I haven’t quite gotten over the instinct to handle them as though they might still be warm to the touch.
Velvet Luxe Blanket for Coastal Winters
Winters here are mild but damp, and there’s nothing more practical than a thick blanket that never feels clammy.
Coastal winters are a strange breed. Coffs doesn’t get cold in the way the Southern Highlands might, but the damp is its own beast. I’ve learned the hard way that it creeps into everything — towels, clothes, bedsheets. You can try to fight it, but mostly I’ve learned there’s no point. The trick is finding things that still feel warm and dry, no matter how sticky the air.
The Velvet Luxe Throw Blanket has been a small salvation this season. The weight is its best feature, heavy enough to stay put when you tuck it around your shoulders or knees. It’s densely woven but still breathes. I’ve yet to wake up under it feeling clammy, which is saying something. The fabric has a way of settling into the perfect balance, never too hot, never too light.
I’ve been testing one out for three months now. It’s been through four washes and hasn’t pilled yet, which surprised me. There’s a sturdiness to the weave that you don’t always get with softer throws. It’s dyed in a subtle oceanic blue, which doesn’t hurt either, though I know that colour’s not for everyone. A grey version is in the works, if all goes to plan.
Oddly, I’ve started associating it with a specific time of day — just before the sun dips below the horizon. That’s when I usually find myself dragging it off the couch and onto the deck, tea in one hand, the blanket slung over the other. There’s a small pride in using something that doesn’t slip or snag as you wrangle it into place.
The damp won’t ever go away entirely, but the right blanket has made it a little easier to live with. Funny how something so simple can make an outsized difference.
Customer reviews
Anna R. — Fitzroy, VIC — 2024-02-15 — 5/5
Perfect for my garden
I bought the RevelGlow Solar Lantern, and it’s been great for outdoor dinners. The light is soft but bright enough, and it feels sturdy.
Michael W. — Newtown, NSW — 2024-05-10 — 4/5
Stylish and functional
The Nordic Ash Wood Bookshelf looks amazing in my lounge. Assembly took a little longer than expected, but it was worth it.
Karen T. — Hobart, TAS — 2024-07-22 — 5/5
Soft and cosy
Absolutely love the Velvet Luxe Throw Blanket! It’s perfect for cold evenings, and the colour is exactly like the photos.
Sam D. — Subiaco, WA — 2025-03-08 — 5/5
So convenient
Ordered the EcoBrew Bamboo Coffee Set for my caravan trips. Lightweight and easy to clean. Arrived faster than I expected.
Emily C. — Paddington, QLD — 2025-01-17 — 4/5
Beautiful dinnerware
The maker Clay Dinner Plates are beautiful. They’re slightly heavier than I thought, but they make every meal feel special.
Liam H. — Bondi, NSW — 2024-09-06 — 5/5
Great for gifting
I got the EcoBrew Bamboo Coffee Set as a gift for my sister. She loves it! Packaging was neat and secure.
Olivia G. — Norwood, SA — 2024-12-02 — 5/5
Great quality
The Nordic Ash Wood Bookshelf has a beautiful finish and is very solid. Delivery was quicker than expected to Adelaide.
James P. — Manly, NSW — 2025-02-11 — 4/5
Lovely product
The RevelGlow Solar Lantern is great for camping. It lasts all night, though I wish the charging time was shorter.
Returns
We accept returns on most items within 30 days of delivery, as long as they are unused and in their original packaging. Refunds will be processed back to your original payment method. Please provide proof of purchase when initiating a return.
Certain items, including gift cards, sale items, and customised orders, are excluded from our return policy. Return shipping costs are the responsibility of the customer, unless the item is faulty or damaged upon arrival.
Our return policy aligns with Australian Consumer Law, which guarantees your rights to a refund or replacement for faulty items. If you believe your item is defective, please contact us with photos and a description of the issue.