Aho — Our Thread

In Te Reo Māori Aho means a cord, a string, or a line.
 It is the weft in the weaving — the thread that binds our genealogy, our descent, and our descendants. It reminds us that every action and creation is part of a larger story — one that connects people, place, and purpose.

Our Whāinga / Mission

At Aho, our vision is to design and create taonga (treasures) that celebrate and whakamana (uplift and affirm) our unique cultural identity and aesthetic inheritance in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

We want what we make to be both beautiful and useful — fusing art with form and function. A living expression of our evolving culture.

Our dream is that our kāinga (homes), kākahu (clothing), and everyday spaces reflect, affirm, and celebrate the rich whāriki (woven mat) of our shared identity — an Aotearoa-centric narrative and aesthetic, grounded in who we are and where we come from

Our Kaupapa / Philosophy

Our work is guided by mātauranga Māori , a Māori worldview.
It is the foundation that guides every decision we make, from design to materials, from the hands that make our products to the homes they end up in.

At the heart of our kaupapa are values that shape how we create and relate:

                   Whakapapa - honouring our connections to people, place, and story.

                   Whanaungatanga - fostering relationships of trust and reciprocity.

                   Manaakitanga - acting with care and respect for all we work with.

                   Kaitiakitanga - caring for the environment as a living tupuna (ancestor).

                   Rangatiratanga — leading with integrity, authenticity, and purpose.

We choose materials and partners who align with these values, ensuring our processes are sustainable, ethical, and regenerative.

We keep relationships - between people, environments, and processes at the centre of everything we do. This means seeking out practices and materials that are sustainable, ethical, and that ensure a better future for the communities and ecosystems we’re part of.

We believe our lands, resources, and culture are not ours to own, but to care for - as a legacy for our tamariki (children) and those who will follow.

Mō tātou, ā, mō kā uri ā muri ake nei 
For us, and for our children after us.

Ko Wai Mātou / Who We Are?

Aho is the moemoeā (dream) of Kristy Bedi, of Kāi Tahu, Kāti Mamoe and Pākehā descent. Based in Ōtautahi, Christchurch with her hoa rangatira, Achan — whose whakapapa reaches to the foothills of the Himalayas — and their three tamariki, Kristy brings a deep passion for art, culture, and social justice.

With a background in Māori Visual Arts and Political Science, and inspired by her journey into māmāhood in 2016, Aho was born from the desire to create a cultural legacy — one that her children could see themselves reflected in, proud and confident in their tūākiri Māori (Māori identity).

Over time, Aho has evolved — from pēpi-focused designs to a broader collection of homewares, fabrics, clothing, ceramics and taonga created in collaboration with whānau.