As a little girl, I often looked at my toys and wondered where
they had come from. Whether someone actually sat down with a paint brush and
painted my wooden giraffe and sewed the eyes on my bear or was it just a
machine doing all the work? I never found an answer. Until recently I heard
from Keren about an exciting new Australian venture called Nookroad, a website
where crafters share stories about the birth of their painstakingly crafted
products. And there, I thought, someone like me had an answer.
The idea of sharing stories about the love and hard-work put
into creating a handmade sounded so exciting. I requested Keren, the co-founder
to share more about Nookroad with Handmadetalks. And here is what she says...
THE STORY OF HANDMADE
I first learnt to sew in a high school textiles class. Since the
strangely satisfying experience of sewing a pair of blue tie-died cotton shorts
that were too ugly to ever wear, I’ve completed a number of sewing projects.
Though not the most technically difficult, the favourite is a simple patchwork
apron. When I look at this apron I see fabric bought while traveling
through Europe, the remnants of a headscarf I wore in my Uni days, fabric I
bought with my Grandma on the last day I spent with her and swatches of a vintage
dress bought at an op shop.
Like all handmade products, my apron tells a story. And the
value of any handmade product is tied up with its story. They can be stories
of painstaking work and ethical conviction. Stories of an experience
or idea. They are stories of creativity that capture our imagination and
inspire us. Above all, these stories are personal. And when it comes to the
handmade marketplace, it is these stories that make for a completely different
and more meaningful buying experience.
These stories of the creative process were the inspiration
behind NOOKROAD, a new online marketplace that
integrates a story telling platform to effectively communicate the value of
handmade and homegrown products. Using a combination of text, image or video,
users can create and then easily attach a Product Story to any item they sell on the site. The idea
is to give small handmade businesses the tools to communicate what makes their
work unique and valuable.
By providing an opportunity to share these stories of production
and creativity, NOOKROAD promotes transparency in production and encourages
thoughtful consumption. NOOKROAD is a place where your can learn about the
inspiration behind a product. It’s a place where quality craftsmanship is
demonstrated and you can catch a glimpse of the studios and workshops of
makers. NOOKROAD provides an engaging way to explain where materials come from
and what ethical considerations that have gone into the production process.
NOOKROAD’s own ethical commitments include their “5% for 5%”
initiative. NOOKROAD pledges 5% of profits to a charity chosen by its online
community. With no listing fees and only a 5% Sales Fee, NOOKROAD is committed
to using the power of story telling to see creative people turn their talent
into turnover.
Keren Moran is the co-founder of NOOKROAD. When she’s not
working on building the NOOKROAD community, she loves a good baking session,
growing veggies in her courtyard garden, candle making and sewing.
NOOKROAD's unique story telling platform allows makers, artists and designers to show us what makes their products special
Clockwise from Top Left:
Recycled Trestle Table, $350 by Huddle;
Bath Salt Product Story, By So Soap;
Symmetry Hand Printed Cushion Cover, $50.00 by Little Miss Gee;
Stormy Blues Leather Wallet, $119.00 by Alex & Xavier;
Handcrafted Turkish Towels, $30.00 each, by Six Foot Neon
Left: Sailboat Kit, $2,770 by The Balmain Boat Company
Right: Bicycle Laptop Cover, $35.00 By Even Weave
Left: Trois Savons - Three Soap Set, $18.00 by So Soap
Right: Spiced Pumpkin Pie Soap, $12.00 by Cleanse With Benefits
Clockwise from Top Left:
Drawstring Ballet Flat, $369 by Viajiyu;
Freshwater Pear Bracelet, $45.00, by Alex & Xavier;
Organic Green Tea, $8.95, byVintage Teas;
Leather Soft Soled Shoes, $27.95 by This Lil Piggy;
Upcycled Beer Bottle Tumblers, $32.00 by Pete's Glasses;
Threaded Notebook Bundles, $25 by Huddle
All Products available on NOOKROAD.COM
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