A Humble Beginning: From Passions Into Profit

As creatives and craft makers, we create our own products by hand therefor we invested more in the product - every single one of it. We pour our heart, soul and energy into each and every item we produce and sometimes we forget about the business-side of it but in the end of the day it's all about building a real brand from our creation and not just selling one-off products.

1. About our business and product and how we came up with the idea for it.

My UniqueCraft & Stationery is a line of modern and unique stationery from Korea & Japan, with a focus on scrapbooking and DIY material. Overtime we start to produce our own products. Some of our products include Retro pouch bag, Tote Bag, Fabric badges button, Fabric wrap folder and Retro photo album. All our products is about unique, exclusive and not to be found in major stores. Our style is a little bit retro, bold, heavily print and also very modern. We make each piece by hand.

Some of our selected products

2. What do we love about running a handmade business?

Running a business is a challenge but what we love the most is the amazing community of craft makers, craft lovers and bazaar seller that we've met along the way during bazaar or in online communities. Bazaar seller & Craft maker are like your business dictionary they are amazing at giving out material outsourcing tips and support!

 

3. What are some of the challenges of a handmade good business that we had to overcome?

First of all is competing with big and well known brand or supplier. Competing with larger supplier will always be a challenge to overcome since they have the ability to distribute products in larger area and give more discount. Secondly, production. we do have limitation to our ability if we get a big order but of-course there's always option to hire.

 

4. What you need to know about our pricing formula?

The key to our pricing formula is to make sure we are getting paid for our time, materials and any overhead costs. We are not greedy, we carefully select, negotiate with supplier, pay for shipping and import duty and finally price out products reasonably so that everyone can enjoy our products.

"For us it's our creativity and love for art & craft is was what drove us to sell handmade products in the first place...and we will never stop doing what we love!"

 

A humble beginnings: Renting & Survival in Kuala Lumpur

The story of us continues, we grew wiser and more business oriented compare to before but it is not always sunny with birds chirping sometimes it's raining cats & dog or maybe more (elephant perhaps)...yeah we had our challenges.

Renting in Kuala Lumpur
Renting a space in Kuala Lumpur is not cheap, 20 to 35sqft in a shopping mall causing us at lease minimum of RM2000 rental fees. For a small seller like us, RM2000 is a lot to swallow, we don't have that kind of surplus money to waste but our love for what we do value more.

Survival Mode
Putting all our products in the shop and hopping for it to sell itself is just a myth, a story told by the rich. To survived, we still do Bazaar during the weekend I remember selling in Publika - a great place to sell handmade with supportive crowd and high appreciation for handmade than The Curve Street Market, it's hot but the crowd is good we educate people about crafting and local art...yeah our love for craft took us far beyond our comfort zone, we travel from one bazaar to another to build our brand and to introduce our-self. Our hard work paid off, people start to know us better at least now they know the face behind the product.

Lesson Learn
As an individual, my communication skill improved so much more. Now I can express my though to someone I do not know and it surely boost my confident and selling skill. Back then I don't like to talk and I will shy away and let my sister do the talking :D but crating changes me, it's an experience I will do it over and over again...

 

  "Our bumpy rides will never fade away, but we will face it with courage and strong determination for our love for art and craft will never fade away"

Who am I ?

Hi my name is Aini Jalil, I'm a designer and Art & Craft is something I passionate about. About 4 years ago, I started to craft...In the beginning it's all about hobbies and to distress myself after a long day at work. Then it get serious and people start noticing my work every time I posted it on Facebook and Instagram, some people interested to purchase but again I'm not into selling I just do it for fun and for personal use.

First POP UP Table - Jual-Jual
A year later, my perspective on crafting and Malaysian acceptation towards local design or local handicraft changed completely. People start to open up and express their interest to purchase local creation, that makes me decided to start selling at local bazaar at Subang Parade for a period of 3 months (the try out period). My first pop up table selling Korean Stationery, Craft Materials and handmade products. Small but unique!

Years of Floating Around!
From 3 months to 1 year, now my sister join me and together then we decided to move to somewhere nearer - more manageable and easier for us to transport our products...by this time our product grows tremendously hehehe...2 girls and multiple large containers... :D


Today, 2015
We have found our-self a home, small but cozy and most importantly our quality, love and passions grows as we continues doing the thing that we love.

Thank you for buying from us your local artist and remember "You are buying a piece of our heart, a part of our soul, a moment of our life and most importantly you are helping us to continues doing what we love and passionate the most"

Thank you