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Behind each journal are artisans' hands with skills and behind them people with great knowledge.
Since the start of my creations, I surrounded myself with a production team made up of Nepali artisans and craftsmen. Just as we ought to know who made our clothes, we should also be aware about how each product we use and purchase came into our hands. Who made your Journal?
Following a recent blog post about “The Birth of A Journal”, it wouldn’t be complete without expressing my deep appreciation for the skills and the people who possess them. Behind each journal are skilled hands with knowledge and know-how.
The Fashion Revolution has definitely created positive public awareness for ethically sourcing clothes and accessories. I’d like to jump onto the bandwagon for this moment. How often do we think about the people behind our products?
At Marina Vaptzarova, we produce handmade and sustainable journals and lifestyle accessories; the production is entirely carried out by Nepali artisans. We use traditional techniques in fabrication procedures and support the conservation of Nepali craftsmanship. This guarantees the transmission of traditions belonging to Nepal’s cultural heritage. By relying on local expertise, we contribute to increasing employment for these artisans.
Since the beginning Marina Vaptzarova has been committed to improving employee skills, their working standards and social benefits for its artisans. Without any legal obligation, the company has developed and implemented several benefits, such as health insurance or payment plans for school fees that are entirely at the company’s expense.
We care for employee diversity and condemn discrimination. In fact my team engages women and men from all castes and ethnic origin. The caste system is still very present in Nepal; furthermore men have higher status and more rights than women, but these discriminations have never influenced Marina Vaptzarova’s choices when hiring artisans.
These values have a positive impact on the success and continuity of the business. With extremely low employee turnover we are able to build long lasting relationships and invest in personal development with the team.
Thanks to our strong values and relationships with our suppliers, we have instilled the same values amongst them and their businesses too. We condemn child labour, ensure their staff is fairly paid and additional living benefits are provided to them to break away from the poverty cycle they may find themselves in.
Throughout the years our consistent efforts in ensuring that our ecological environment is protected has created positive change along the production chain from plant harvest to finish. Although most times this was never an issue, we use the most sustainable materials you can find!
Our collections are a display of Nepal’s capability to play in the international sustainable luxury market. Our mission ensures this, while upholding Nepal’s cultural heritage, its economy and enhancing the prestige of Nepalese craft. It is clear that high quality and luxury products do not only come from artisans in the west, but can blossom anywhere in the world with dedication, care and know-how.
Our skilled employees and partners take pride in their work ensuring that quality and craftsmanship is maintained throughout the production.
#WhoMadeYourJournal? A campaign dedicated to artisans
In the next few weeks our own people who made your Marina Vaptzarova journals will be featured on our social networks :
The people featured don’t only represent themselves; they represent a trade, a skill and an abundance of knowledge passed down through generations. Marina Vaptzarova aims to preserve these traditions and know-how by presenting refined lifestyle products with contemporary designs.
Marina Vaptzarova has been awarded the Butterfly mark, powered by Positive Luxury, in recognition of our commitment to social and environmental sustainability. Our aim is to inspire and motivate consumers to make responsible choices about the products they buy. Everyday actions make a big difference to the world.
A small collection of products can be purchased here.
About Marina Vaptzarova
Designing and creating conceptions has been part of her professional life for over 25 years. During this period, Marina revisited the traditional raw materials, craftsmanship and skills of Nepal and transposed these into contemporary design handicrafts and accessories. Her designs are fully experienced by the customer and play a prominent role in addressing the needs of the hospitality sector.
Marina Shrestha is a specialist consultant designer for interior handmade accessories in the hospitality sector, particularly in the luxury boutique segment. She also provides consultation on product development for handmade crafts.
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