Page 51 - YouthPower

A handcrafted wood furniture brand that embraces the master-apprentice system to train new artisans, Wotopia is deeply rooted in Yuli, guiding young people in career exploration while creating opportunities for local employment and sustainable development.
• Founder:Wang Chia-Na • Established:2021
• Main Products:
A wide range of handcrafted wooden artworks and furniture, including dining tables, desks, chairs,
stools, sofas, cabinets, shelves, and lighting fixtures. • Recent Achievements:
1. Serpentine Long Table with Leather Texture, Winner of the 2024 iF Design Award (Germany)
2. Lotus Curve Stool and Acacia Wood Armchair, Winners of the 2024 Taiwan Golden Pin Design Award 3. Acacia Wood Armchair, Winner of the 2025 iF Design Award (Germany)
2025 年，來自花蓮玉里的木想傢，首度以全新 品牌「烏托比亞」(Wotopia)概念 ，對外亮相。
Wotopia， 意 指 Wood( 木 材 ) 和 Utopia (烏托邦)的組合，乘載了品牌對家、土地和 手作生活最深的想像與實踐。而會推出烏托比亞， 是創辦人王嘉納的深深期許。
王嘉納曾任花蓮縣玉東國中技藝班老師，他 發現偏鄉學童因父母外出工作，多由祖父母隔代 教養，一旦遭遇學習挫折時，常因缺乏適當引導 而放棄，就此失去改變未來的機會。因此，他 開設木工班「玉東卡本特」，在讓孩子學會一門 技術之餘，再藉由刨削、敲打、組合的過程， 重新找回專注與自信。而花蓮玉里也能藉此發展 出微型產業，父母不用再出外奔波打拚，「我最 大的願望，是希望有一天，這些偏鄉孩子半夜醒 來時，能夠安穩地看見父母在身邊。」
2021 年，王嘉納自玉東國中退休後，便正式 成立臺灣木想傢人才培育協會和木契實業有限 公司，致力在玉里開創可長久、永續的營運模式。 然而，在花蓮發展木工產業並不容易。從原物料 到機具，所有成本都較其他縣市高，王嘉納清楚， 如果只是做低價傢俱，根本無法生存。他深信， 唯有打造品牌、提升價值，才能讓這份在地力量 站上國際舞臺。
In 2025, mudreamer, a woodcraft brand from Yuli, Hualien, unveiled its new name Wotopia for the first time.
The name Wotopia combines “Wood” and “Utopia,” symbolizing the brand’s vision and practice of a handcrafted lifestyle deeply connected to home and the land.
Founder Wang Chia-Na, formerly a vocational instructor at Yu-Tung Junior High School in Hualien County, noticed that many children in remote areas struggled academically due to a lack of family support. To help them regain focus and confidence, he started a woodworking class called “Yu-Tung Carpenter”. “My greatest wish,” he says, “is that one day, when these children in remote areas wake up in the middle of the night, they can feel at peace knowing their parents are right there beside them.”
After retiring in 2021, Wang founded the cradle of Taiwan Wood Furniture Makers and Mukuu Furniture Co., Ltd., promoting a sustainable model for the woodworking industry. However, developing the woodcraft industry in Hualien has not been easy. Wang understands that only by building a strong brand and elevating product value can local craftsmanship gain recognition on the international stage.
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