Each month, The Studio loans money to artisans in need in order to help them advance their business and livelihood. You can read more about this project here.
In August, The Studio is supporting two artisans who create traditional woven crafts that are in high demand in their communities.
Lepolo is a mother and basket weaver who runs a thriving weaving business. Her baskets are used for special occasions, home decor, and gifts, and her biggest struggle is keeping up with demand. The Studio is helping her purchase pandanus, the plant material she uses to create her baskets, so she can produce larger quantities and meet the growing demand while producing more income for her family.
Alisi runs a weaving business where she creates kiekie, traditional wearable items for special occasions and events. She uses pandanus, shells, and ribbons to create her intricately decorated products, and each item she makes is used in community and family events that celebrate the traditions of the Tongan culture. The Studio is helping her purchase her materials and decorative items so she can product larger amounts and a time and fulfill her growing list of orders.
In July The Studio is supporting two artisans who use their embroidery skills to produce traditional products sold in local markets and directly to clients.
Gulbahor is an embroidery artist and mother of three in Tajikistan who sells her traditional clothing, blankets, scarves, and hats locally. The Studio will support her is buying a large batch of threads, fabric, and beads so she can grow her reach and sell larger quantities at markets.
Zaiban is a hand-embroidery artisan who has spent decades building up a client list of buyers, but she struggles to keep up with demand because of the cost of buying large quantities of materials. The Studio is helping her purchase beads, sequins, and stones for embellishments that will allow her to serve more of the customers who are waiting for her products.
In June, The Studio is supporting a basket weaver in Turkey, and a seamstress in Tajikistan.
Zeynep is a basket weaver in Turkey who creates handmade storage and celebration baskets for her community to help support her family of seven. The Studio is helping her purchase weaving materials so she can produce larger batches of baskets to sell at local markets.
Ziola is a Tajik seamstress who creates traditional women's clothing that she sells locally. She is a mother of two and works at home with her children by her side. The Studio is helping her purchase a new embroidery machine so she can work faster and produce more clothing each day.
In May, The Studio is supporting two textile artists who use their weaving and sewing skills to provide in-demand products for their communities.
Tilema is an artisan who creates traditional fans alongside her mother and sister. The business helps support their growing family, and provides security for the younger and older members of the family who can’t work. The women take their fans to a local market and have requested a loan for more materials. The Studio is helping them purchase a large batch of coconut husk, coconut fiber, shells, hibiscus, and leaves that they use to weave and decorate their fans so they can sell more items at the local market.
Sadia is a 22-year-old hand embroidery artisan who creates intricate patterns using thread, beads, and pearls and uses her profits to help support her family. She struggles to pay for her materials in order to produce her in-demand products, and The Studio is helping her purchase more thread, sequins, pearls, and beads so she can purchase larger batches of materials, qualifying for quantity discounts.
In April, The Studio is supporting two artisans who make beautiful handmade crafts for their communities and need a little help to get the resources they need to accelerate their businesses.
Socorro is a Colombian weaver who creates traditional woven sombreros made of palm for her local community and sells them in markets around the city. She has two children aged 22 and 3, and her hat making helps support their educational costs. The Studio is helping her purchase palm strands and supplies that she uses to create her woven hats.
Mahina is an embroidery artist from Tajikistan who designs wearable and decorative items that she sells around her city. The Studio is helping her purchase a computerized embroidery machine, which is will help her increase her output and reduce the physical toll of creating her detailed work.
In March, The Studio is supporting five women who create traditional wearable products for their local communities.
The women of the Aguas Vivas embroidery group create hand embroidered güipiles (traditional blouses) that are prized by the members of their community.
This loan will help the members of the group purchase higher quality threads, which allow them to create more valuable, long-lasting goods and better support their families.
Momakiz is a mother of three and a seamstress who has been sewing and embroidering women's clothing for over 20 years. The Studio is helping her purchase threads and sewing accessories, so she can expand her business to larger markets.
In February, The Studio is supporting two textile artisans who between them have 12 children! They use their crafts to support their families, and The Studio is helping them purchase more materials so they can produce their work at a larger scale.
Sisi is a mother of seven children who weaves kiekie (a traditional Tongan belt worn by women at special occasions) to support her family. She uses hibiscus and coconut materials to weave intricate patterns into the kiekie belts, and local women purchase her products at a market in her village.
The Studio is helping Sisi purchase a large batch of materials so she can produce more belts for the markets, enabling her to create more income for her children's education.
Mehrubon is a seamstress and mother of five who uses her embroidery business to support her family. She has been practicing the art of machine embroidery for over 10 years, and her skills are highly valued in her city, but she struggles to purchase enough materials to make the intricate and high-quality work she is capable of. The Studio is helping her purchase needles, threads, and fabrics that allow her to create higher quality products that she can sell at higher prices in order to better support her family.
In January, The Studio is supporting two artisans who support their families with their crafts and are in need of additional supplies and equipment.
Sevgi is a mother and wife who works as a wood carver creating detailed patterns on wood items for decorative wall hangings. The Studio is helping her purchase large batches of wood and supplies so she can create more volume to help support her family.
Demet is a mother and wife who uses her knitting and crochet skills to create socks, blankets, and other household items for her community. The Studio is helping her purchase more yarn and thread so she can create more products to help support her children's education costs.
