It would be common to see a Nepali entering the handicraft sector to conserve the culture and make profit from it. But when a foreigner approaches for making classic Nepali handicrafts viable in the modern world, one starts to pay attention. Yasmin Shakya, a Dutch citizen, and her husband Sameer Shakya started the business Maya Handicraft Jewelry in 2018.
Yasmin handles the artistic sides of the firm, such as designing and conceptualization, whereas Sameer handles the administrative tasks and internal management; such as sourcing qualified craftspeople. To safeguard the knowledge, methods, and creations of Nepal's traditional silversmiths that are handed down to the next millennia, Maya Handicrafts Jewelry was launched.
The journey simply began when they displayed ten items at Timro Concept Store at Lalitpur. After obtaining helpful criticism from the customers, they started offering their goods both offline at local markets and digitally for a year. Three years later, their goods are now sold at their own store in Lazimpat, the Centre of Kathmandu.
Maya Handicrafts produce the best silver items that are based on traditional Nepali motifs. They opted for silver jewelry rather than gold or gemstones as they believe that these materials are too pricey for the majority of people to buy. They aimed to create jewelry that was economical for everyone.
Due to the low level of interest in silver, they initially struggled a bit to capture the market. But over time, they received positive feedback. As a result, they eventually launched it internationally, most recently to Australia. "We also have immediate positive intentions of opening a new store in Pokhara", said Yasmin.
Majority of their artists are women whom they intend to pay better than anywhere else. Therefore their products are also a little on the costlier line. Their artisan silver jewelry is all skillfully made. Earring, finger rings, wristbands, pendants, anklets, broach, and cuff links are among the available items.
"Maya Handicrafts Jewelry is dedicated to using ethical and environmentally friendly methods", states Sameer. "We intend to make investments in better workplaces and neighborhood nonprofits as the project grows," he adds.
Maya signifies love in Nepali, and all of the things they produce are created with love by the craftspeople, hence the name "Maya Handicraft" that they gave to their brand. Along with selling handicrafts, they also share their affection with the buyers. They also ask their customers to take a picture with the sign "who made my jewelry" in order to represent it as being crafted by Maya or just with love. They offer a large selection of items that range from 500 to 19000.
Contact Details:
Maya Handicraft
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