Mokoko Crack

I’m so excited to share this new series with you. Business Story is about small businesses and the people behind them. I love getting a behind the scenes look into a creative business and see what makes it tick. I’m sure you do, too. So, brew yourself a cup of tea or coffee, sit back, and enjoy. Today, I’d like you to meet Mari, the designer behind Mokoko, a small leather goods brand with a big vision.


Tell us a little bit about you, the person behind Mokoko. Where are you from? What’s your background? Maybe a little something that doesn’t meet the eye.
My name is Mari Maripuu I was born in the university town of Tartu and later lived years in Saaremaa (Estonia’s biggest island) before coming to the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA) in Tallinn. My initial plan was to study biochemistry and later specialize on viruses, but with my exam results it would have been impossible to study it for free. My family was not financially secured and I did not want to get a loan from the bank.

My other interest was in fine bookbinding. I have gone to art schools all my life, but the one in Kuressaare had the biggest impact on me. Piret Männa introduced me to bookbinding and leather craft. Teachers have the ability to change lives. So, at the last minute I decided to take the entrance exams to EKA Leather Art, Accessories Design and Bookbinding department, and I got accepted. I decided to first study this for free and later pay for my biochemistry studies. But, by the time of my BA graduation I saw millions of possibilities what to do with design, so I decided to continue my studies in the Product Design (MA) department. So, basically I am still able to work with viruses, but from a different angle – machinery design, process design, design solutions for improving hygiene so that people would not spread viruses or get ill.

I love your slogan “Buy nothing you do not need”. One would think that being an independent designer, you’d want more sales rather than encouraging people not to buy. How did you come up with this tagline and how does is translate into what you make?
The slogan I use on one of the wallet designs is actually “buy nothing”, but to make it not so radical I specified it a bit for my overall brand. I was a little bit afraid that it could be interpreted in different ways.
When the slogan is on the product and the person goes shopping he might get the impulse to (maybe) buy nothing at all from that shop. So, when the slogan is on the daily-used wallet, the person might buy less. Of course, if they really-really need or want something they will get it anyway. But, having this small reminder in your wallet might make the purchasing decision more thought through and this is what I’m after. Because really, you don’t need that much stuff.

Mokoko is a independent coffee shop and bakery based in Bath and Bristol, they currently have 3 shops, one in Bristol with a in house kitchen and 2 in Bath. With growing success and recognition of the brand locally, Mokoko have chosen to move into the coffee roasting market and develop their own distinctive Mokoko coffee brand, for both B2C. Mokoko is a designer leather goods studio with a focus on inventive constructions and clever details. All products are made in our studio in Tallinn, out of certified vegetable tanned leathers from Italy. Mokoko is a member of Responsible Business Forum of Estonia.

Being independent allows me to try things that are not that traditional and carry the values I believe in. There’s one book (Gabriel Zaid, So Many Books: Reading and Publishing in an Age of Abundance, 2003) that I had to read for an bookbinding exhibition last year and there it was said that if you give someone a book, you actually give them the obligation to read it. When you buy something, you will get the obligation to use it. And when you are not using it, you are constantly reminded that you should take time to use it and it gets you even more stressed. So, mentally, it is better to have less.

Discontinuities are also called as hot crack and hot tears and it is the formation of shrinkage crack during the solidification of weld metal. When metal in liquid condition it is weak and the residual stress or tensile stress in the material causes the casting fails as the liquid metal cools down. Acting LRA commissioner ‘Mathabo Mokoko the programme was influenced by the government’s understanding of the plight of commercial property tenants as a result of Covid-19. “The rent relief scheme was created by the government with the understanding that during the lockdown period, businesses had no means to make money to pay rent for.

What does a typical day look like in the Mokoko studio?
At the moment most days of the week I am at the uni or working on other projects, so I probably go there 4x a week to make stuff that is needed. I am not alone in the studio, I have two other leather designers there, we split the expenses and they rent some machines and equipment from me. There are lots of different machines and tools needed to do this work, so it’s best to be friendly and share. We use this space mostly only as a workshop, not as a open designer studio. It’s very ascetic, but beautiful things come out of it.

It’s really typical that I start the day in the studio with turning on the radio – I enjoy listening to talk-shows, on any topic. At the moment, I do everything myself because my schedule is really hectic. For example, on Sunday I arrived there around 16.00 and cleaned up the place a bit, then started to make some Super Slim Card Cases in various colors, and some new models of earphone organizers. I made a cup of black tea and thought about what I should do with the small leather scraps and furry lamb skins that my father sent from Saaremaa (he’s a sheep farmer). It was not very productive in the business sense, but fulfilling on an emotional level.

Take us behind the scenes. What does your design process look like? Where do you get your inspiration from?
I am inspired by different constructions and technological trends. For example, when I started it all, I saw a change in how people pay for the products, card payments are increasing and people use less cash. So, I decided to focus on different types of card holders because there were not much competition on the market. Basically, the “wallet” has somewhat changed because of the technological development. The next step, that might come with mobile payments, includes no wallet at all.

I also just play around with paper, fold it in different ways and try to have the item in one piece. Small leather goods need to be functional, so I try to find some clever details to make my products stand out.

At the moment, I have quite a few products, so the design process focuses on expanding the product family in a logical way, or connecting the products aesthetically. Then, I’m making some new samples and try to get different shops to agree to take it in for testing, or I show the prototypes at different fairs, get some feedback and act accordingly. Improve, and test again. This way, I’m letting the market shape the product and business a bit.

I think every creative has his/her favorite material to work with. Yours is obviously leather. Why did you choose to work with leather?
I think it has a lot to do with my background and education. Leather is a very durable material and when I spend my time on making something, I want it to last a long time. I love working with vegetable-tanned leather because it has a special superpower – the edges can be rounded. It is more work, but the result is ideally timeless.

I always admire talented young designers and makers, and there are many of us who secretly (or not so secretly) wish to take on a creative career path. What would your advice be to someone who’s thinking about pursuing a creative career?
1. If you want to know whether you have it in you, make something and try to sell it (not to your friends or family).

Battlevoid: sector siege. 2. For a professional creative career you need to learn to be organized and measure everything, that takes your time, and find ways how to become more effective. You need to design products and also the way your business works.

3. You do not need to do it alone. Businesses that start with small teams perform better (but there is also a risk of changes in vision, etc)

Mokoko Cracked

4. Bootstrapping makes you creative. When you do not have large amounts of money to put into your business, start with what you have and do it legally. When you start rotating the money like a pile of autumn leaves, the pile will (hopefully) start growing.

5. It takes time to build up a business. I got the studio space in Telliskivi 57 in Feburary 2013 (only because of the machines and the need of industrial electricity power). My first products were ready in May and when I offered them to Nu Nordik (a shop specializing in Estonian design) I also registered a company to do it all legally. There are no jobs in this field in Estonia anyway, so I needed to create one for myself. Later, there have been some interest in hiring me, but my hands are already full. Being able to do what I like has spoiled me.

Thank you Mari for sharing your business story!
You can find Mari and her work at the Mokoko website and Etsy shop.

A Chip Off the Old Brock (Japanese: ミズゴロウとモココ！恋の特効薬！？Mizugorou and Mokoko! Wonder Drug of Love!?) is the 148th episode of Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire, and the 422nd episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on October 20, 2005 and in the United States on September 16, 2006.

• 3Major events
  • 3.1Debuts
• 4Characters
• 5Trivia

Blurb

Brock's Mudkip evolves into Marshtomp while training with Grovyle, but when it shows off its Mud Shot attack, it accidentally hit s a nearby Flaaffy! Luckily, Flaaffy's owner, Mariah, works at a pharmacy that makes Pokémon medicine. Soon Flaaffy is well, but Marshtomp has developed a crush on it! Mariah and her friend McCauley are helping the pharmacy's doctor, using Electric Pokémon to help make medicine. It's not easy, and McCauley is really starting to doubt his abilities.

A disguised Team Rocket tries to clean out the pharmacy using Meowth in a Snorlax suit, but McCauley and Brock drive them off. Team Rocket doesn't give up: later that night, they return with a rocket-powered balloon and steal the entire building while Mariah and Flaaffy are still inside! McCauley and his Ampharos leap into the building as it's carried off. Back on the ground, Ash and his friends try to stop Team Rocket, but Pikachu and the doctor's Mareep are hurt when Marshtomp's attack is deflected by Team Rocket's latest device.

Up in the flyaway pharmacy, McCauley and Mariah mix up a Pokémon medicine, then toss it to the doctor. The hurt Pokémon are restored to full health, and the Electric Pokémon pool their power to defeat Team Rocket. McCauley now has confidence in himself, but poor Brock and Marshtomp realize that romance with Mariah and Flaaffy will never pass! Yes, everything's definitely back to normal as our friends head towards the next stop on the Battle Frontier!

Plot

In the lead up to his Battle Arena challenge, Ash and Grovyle have a practice match against Brock and his Mudkip. Grovyle fires a Bullet Seed, but Mudkip dodges it. Mudkip withstands a direct lash of Leaf Blade and suddenly evolves into Marshtomp. Then, Marshtomp attacks with Mud Shot, but Grovyle dodges it and the move hits a Flaaffy instead.

Brock offers to help, but Flaaffy’s Trainer, Mariah doesn’t respond. Instead Mariah runs to her Grandma Katie's drugstore for treatment, to which Ash and his friends follow after her. After a quick sip of medicine, Flaaffy heals in an instant. Ash and Brock immediately apologize and introduce themselves. Then, Brock and Marshtomp hold Mariah and Flaaffy's hands and show attraction. However, Max and May jump in and pull the lovesick twosome away. Suddenly McCauley and his Ampharos enter the store to show Katie his energy elixir. After a quick examination, she notes that McCauley didn't mix the Cheri Berry well, so she can't sell it. McCauley is disappointed by his efforts, admitting that he may never improve. Mariah tells him to focus on the positives and that he can always try again. Outside, Team Rocket spy on the drugstore and plot to steal and on-sell the medicines.

Katie orders McCauley to mind the drugstore while she makes medicine. Brock also asks to see the medicine-making process, so he May, Max go with Katie and Mariah, while Ash and Pikachu train for their next Frontier battle. In her storeroom, Katie mixes some ingredients into a watery paste and Brock takes notes as they watch Katie make medicine. When all the ingredients are mixed Katie puts it into a bottle and uses her Mareep's Thunder attack to purify the medicine. Katie admits the amount of electricity required is still a rather experimental process.

Back at the drugstore, Jessie and Jamesdisguise themselves as an elderly couple with an ill Snorlax; none other than Wobbuffet and Meowth inside a costume. Jessie and James begin clearing the shelves, throwing all of the medicine directly into the Snorlax costume. McCauley is alarmed by the amount of stock the duo are taking, when Jessie suddenly throws him and his handful of pharmaceuticals into the costume’s mouth. McCauley immediately sees Meowth and Wobbuffet inside and realizes that it isn't a real Snorlax. Team Rocket promptly run away with the medicine, but Ash sees them and commands Grovyle to use Bullet Seed to trip them up. Team Rocket's disguises fall off, revealing their true identities. They don't give the medicine to McCauley, so Brock tells Marshtomp to use Mud Shot, and Team Rocket falls into a boat and are carried down a waterfall. Mariah rushes out to see if everything is alright, and McCauley admits the medicine has been all recovered. However, Mariah blushes as she adds that she was really asking about him.

During the night, Brock combs Marshtomp and tells him that together with Mariah and Flaaffy they will be good couples. Then, Ash notices an incredible amount of electricity coming from inside the drugstore, so the group decide to investigate. Inside is Ampharos and McCauley practicing to make medicine but the bottle cracks open from the overcharge. May tells him that it is too late to practice, but McCauley says that he wants to be as good as Katie. He explains that he and Mariah have been watching Katie make medicine since they were both children. As McCauley admits he’ll never come good, Katie enters the room and assures him that he needs to improve his confidence to succeed. McCauley commits to be more confident in himself.

Unexpectedly the whole building begins to shake as Team Rocket lifts the drug store off the ground. Everyone escapes in time, but they realize that Mariah and Flaaffy are still trapped inside the store. While Team Rocket recites their motto, McCauley climbs up another house with Ampharos and they both jump inside the open store door. In realization of his attempt, Jessie commands Meowth to shake McCauley off. Subsequently all of the stocked medicines smash and break on the ground. To stop Team Rocket making a getaway, Brock orders a Mud Shot from his Marshtomp. Meowth retaliates by deploying a protective dish that sends the attack right back at them, injuring both Pikachu and Mareep. Katie quickly asks for some Electric Pokémon medicine to heal the Pokémon, but Mariah and McCauley inform her that the medicine has been smashed. Katie is angered at this, and Team Rocket only respond by laughing at her nonsense bickering. James's Mime Jr. jumps up to the balloon's controls and starts playing with them happily, making the balloon and the store rock even more. McCauley spots two remaining medicines that weren't destroyed, and he decides they must take action quickly even without the magic Sunkern dew. Ampharos, with all its electric might appears to be struggling mixing the medicines, so Flaaffy joins in, but before they are done Team Rocket fixes their rocket boosters. Instantly, McCauley throws the newly made medicine down to Katie. She promptly heals Pikachu and Mareep and they both deploy a ferocious double Thunder. Meowth activates the reflective dish once again, but the pair dodge the reflected attacks in time. Inside the floating store, Ampharos and Flaaffy use the same attack to successfully destroy the balloon engines and make the ship crash down. On ground, Mariah, McCauley, Ampharos, and Flaaffy escape the store to leave Ash and his friends to fight Seviper and Cacnea. James has Cacnea attack with Needle Arm and Seviper uses Poison Tail while Marshtomp uses Water Gun to crash both of the Pokémon into Team Rocket. Ampharos and Flaaffy use Thunder to immobilize Team Rocket while Pikachu and Mareep also use Thunder to send Team Rocket blasting off again.

Afterwards, Mariah realizes that McCauley's confidence was the reason they created the medicine and defeated Team Rocket, and Katie, seeing this, gives the store to them. Brock and Marshtomp are let down and left heartbroken at this. The following day, May thanks Katie for the medicine supplies as she and her friends continue their journey towards the Battle Arena.

Major events

• Brock's Mudkip evolves into Marshtomp and learns Mud Shot.

Mokoko Crackers

For a list of all major events in the anime, please see the timeline of events.

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

Characters

Humans

Pokémon

Mokoko Crackhead

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
• Mime Jr. (James's)
• Grovyle (Ash's)
• Mudkip (Brock's; evolves)
• Marshtomp (Brock's; newly evolved)
• Seviper (Jessie's)
• Cacnea (James's)
• Mareep (Katie's)
• Flaaffy (Mariah's)
• Ampharos (McCauley's)

Trivia

• Pokémon Symphonic Medley plays when Mariah and McCauley create medicine for Pikachu and Mareep, who had been injured by Mud Shot.
• The dub title is a pun of the old saying 'A chip off the old block'. The line was used earlier in A Family That Battles Together Stays Together! by Brock to describe Forrest.
• Marshtomp and Flaaffy are both in the Monster Egg Group, meaning that they can indeed breed.
• This is the first episode Mime Jr. participates in Team Rocket's motto, replacing Chimecho.
• As of this episode, all of the main characters' Hoennstarter Pokémon are in their middle evolutionary stage.
• This is the first episode that Brock's Marshtomp has used a move other than Water Gun since its debut, 123 episodes ago.
• Prime Video calls this episode 'A Chip Off the Old brock', with a lowercase B in Brock.

Errors

• The scene when Ash tells his Grovyle to use Leaf Blade is mirrored.
• May's Pokédex incorrectly refers to Marshtomp as the Mud Pokémon instead of the Mud Fish Pokémon. This was fixed in later airings.
• Max incorrectly calls Mud Shot an Earth-type attack in the dub instead of a Ground-type attack. However, this error was corrected for all subsequent airings.
• In one of the scenes, shortly after Flaaffy was healed, Ash's gloves were skin-toned, making it appear as if he only had green wristbands on.
• When May drags Marshtomp off screen, her gloves are missing.

Dub edits

In other languages