As you might have read when scrolling over this website, most of our items are handmade, from the muslin clothes to blankets or little crochet rattles and more. In this blog I would like to write about why we mostly do and support handmade products.
Nowadays the world is ruled by mass production; there is nothing necessarily wrong with that, since we have reached a high amount of population worldwide and these demands have to be fulfilled. But it has also been observed that in the past few years there has been a consistent rise in traditional and handmade manufacturing. For me this is just lovely to see, because it embraces human potential and gives individuals a "voice" to express their talents. To purchase a handmade product means to support this human voice. When supported even by the community or entire city this can lead to a totally new customer experience and product awareness. I could see this happening all across the UAE in the past months and years. Local pop-up markets are popping like mushrooms in malls and parks, specially when the weather is getting cooler. I believe our communities enjoy these events, specially by mothers who can take out their little bundles for a walk through these events that mostly have kids activities, playgrounds and yammi food offers. 
Handmade items can be customised in colour or shape and be personalised with names or quotes. There are no two handmade items that are exactly alike, this means that every handmade item you purchase is also "one of a kind". A unique piece of "art" made for you. It is wonderful that more and more people are beginning to embrace this, having items available only in small quantities or even unique - nobody else has.
Consider that every inch of the fabric, yarn or other material that forms a hand knit clothes or accessory once flowed through the fingers of the maker who sew or knit each piece with intention and purpose. Who would not value and take extra care of such an item.
When i started to sew my first kids dresses for my daughter it filled me with so much pride that i have had created something special only for her while putting all my love into this handmade piece. For me it was almost doing art, to match the colours, to draw the design of the dresses and so on.
So, when you make something handmade, you leave a part of yourself in it. When finished creating, you take pride in the work because you see yourself in it. Vice versa when you buy someones handmade product, you reflect yourself in that purchase. Whether it’s the texture, the shape, the colour or just the moment you happen to purchase this item, the person who made it is valued far beyond an item that was made for mass consumption.
On many social media channels, like Instagram or tiktok we can observe a trend where people show their private working spaces. Whether it is how the handmade items are produced or packed or sold or even used by customers, we all - including myself - love to watch these videos. It gives us even more insights when revealing how the magic happens, how people are putting all their creative mind and passion into their handmade items. Their creations are made in a space of joy, honour, and respect. Those same values somehow find their way into the very same of a handmade item.
All this makes it even more desirable to purchase handmade clothes, accessories, toys or whatever the item is. It's almost like purchasing a memory, many of the items bought handmade stay longer if not forever with you. Imagen a first birthday dress with your baby's name, or a personalised newborn baby blanket, a wooden crochet teether for your baby's first teeth or the first stylish poncho your toddler wore on the beach. There are many special moments in life to cherish, it makes it even more fun to keep these memories saved with special pieces bought for exactly these moments.
Here in the UAE and in many other places around the world a consumer shift is happening. People are willing to invest more in items that are of higher quality- or as mentioned previously - have a story to tell. Buying handmade can be like hitting two birds with one stone because creators of handmade items care a lot about the quality of the materials used, spending a lot of time looking for recyclable packaging or Eco-friendly suppliers or local producers. Handmade means slow production - no mass or over production, no unethical sourcing and working ethics.
We are all full of dreams about things that yet do not exist and find ways to making them come to life. Be sure that this person has spent many nights learning a skill, perfecting a technique and pouring their passion into what they make. By supporting the person who makes your item, you support their creativity, skill and dream. I can't count the many sleepless nights i have spent to perfection my products in every single way. So I know i am supporting someone's dream by buying handmade and i know the love that these items carry.
SUPPORT HANDMADE!
