Kamibashi (paper bridge in Japanese) is the happy result of an English teaching career in Japan that put owners Kristen and Chris Daniels in direct contact with talented young Asian artists. Relocating back to the United States in 2003, the pair founded Kamibashi string dolls.

String doll artists are based in small villages in the mountains outside of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. Crafting String Dolls is the main occupation for most of the artisans, which means a reliable income and improved living standards for their families and communities in their economically developing regions. When they are not making string dolls, many of the workers spend time taking care of their families and tending to their vegetable gardens for self-sufficiency. Some have other jobs such as sewing or working in shops and restaurants.