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 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.
