Origin Stories: Forbidden Fruit

As a child, I can remember being transfixed by particular objects that ornamented my parent's home. The pair of wooden giraffe figurines from my mother’s travels, velveteen lampshades that lived above the sconces in our living room and an amber glass paperweight that adorned our mantle.

The latter of which resembled an apple, not unlike the one Eve supposedly came across in Eden. There was something primal about it, the simplest of forms, cast in unassuming material to stand the test of time.

Many years later in that same room, I went on to smoke cannabis for the first time at the behest of my two older sisters (who happened to be throwing a party that evening while my parents were away). They fashioned a pipe out of a Red Delicious. As I pressed it to my lips I was reminded of that paper weight. There was something so natural about the simplicity of smoking from an organic object like that. It was easy to imagine our ancestors partaking in the same activity thousands of years ago with the exact same materials at hand. Of course the advent of the lighter and hydroponics helped push things along quite a bit, but nonetheless it was possible in theory.

At AOK we set out to design a pipe that captured the same organic innocence by mimicking the shape of that Red Delicious. One that wouldn’t look out of place amongst even the most curated of household items. We paired it with a stash jar to promote the ritualistic aspect of smoking. Mimicking a Japanese tea ceremony, the sequence of steps imbues the act of smoking with significance. We believe cannabis should not be stigmatized and is no longer something to be ashamed of indulging in once in awhile. There are many benefits from a mental and physical standpoint, whether relieving anxiety or helping victims of seizures. The rise of legal cannabis has enabled the industry to grow up and come out of the closet. We hope this pipe helps people feel more comfortable with cannabis, bringing this out at a dinner party the same as a decanter of wine or a tasty cheese plate.

Check out the set here.

—Sean & the AOK Team