One of my favourite things about the world of social media is: There is a really strong sense of community within the business world these days, where support out weighs competition. 

Why? Well I think it’s got a lot to do with the acknowledgement of how hard it is to run a business these days! Not to mention how hard it is to compete against the giants! And no one will understand what it takes more than a fellow business owner. And whilst there is always the negative side to social media (which unfortunately most business owners will come across at some point) this sense of community is often there to hype you back up!  

With that in mind, I wanted to use this blog space as a chance to showcase some of my favourite businesses each month in a post I’d like to call ‘Founder finds’. This month I want to highlight some brands who create truly stunning products that are most definitely items you would keep to pass down to future generations- a concept we here at Nestie echo throughout our brand.  

So, it’s time to shout about quality products and why investing in a beautiful item can not only change the lives of individuals who create them, but also change the way we look at spending money. 

Moppet.

The first company I would like to talk about is Moppet. Now I am sure they need no introduction, as their beautiful award winning tapestries will have surely caught your eye before, but incase you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing one on your screen, let me welcome you to their world of wonderful hand made heirlooms. 

Each Moppet tapestry has been designed in the UK and are made in the valley of Kashmir- it was this part of the process that caught my attention just as much as the stunning designs!

Each Moppet tapestry is created using a local chain stitch technique which has been practiced in the valley of Kashmir for hundreds of years. It’s a traditional craft which was passed down through generations of male family members. Today the traditional craft is practiced by both men and women. 

What I really love about this is that Moppet have carefully selected both craftsmen and women who are part of rural farming communities and predominantly embroider during the winter as a secondary source of income. So by supporting Moppet, not only are you are receiving a beautiful handmade heirloom tapestry, you are supporting Laura, the wonderful and talented designer/ owner of Moppet and you are also supporting the creator’s families. Families that are using a skill passed down through generations to create a secondary source of income to support themselves during the months where they may otherwise struggle. Laura has also made it clear on her social media and website that these tapestries and other embroidered items are priced to allow a fair and ethical wage for the artisans who make them. 

The designs and use of colours make for truly stunning product which I’m sure you would keep in your family for generations to come.

Felt for you by Shana.

Next I would like to talk about Shana from @feltforyoubyshana.

Again, if you are on Instagram then there is a good chance you’ve probably already seen some of Shana’s beautiful handmade baby mobiles, garlands and decorations. 

What’s amazing about these items is that each character has been hand drawn by Shana, traced, cut by hand and then hand stitched. Every tiny detail that you’ll see on each character has been meticulously planned and designed to create the perfect decorative keepsake.

I love that Shana actually taught herself to hand stitch in 2020, a beautiful and productive way to spend the lockdown. It’s lovely to see such a beautiful skill come out of such a hard time! 

Below are some photos of one of Shana’s woodland baby mobiles. I picked these photos simply because I’m obsessed with the hedgehog! But look at the attention to detail, it was hard to choose an image as all of her characters are beautiful! They are definitely something a family would cherish and pass down to future babies!

The Cotton Shop.

Next up is @_thecottonshop.

I can’t explain how happy I am to see a resurgence in crochet, my teenage daughter laughs at me in the evenings when she comes in and sees me surrounded by wool- but it’s one of my favourite ways to wind down in the evenings. So naturally, when I see something beautiful but also crocheted I get excited… 

And that is exactly what happened when I saw the ‘Wild one’ jumper from @_thecottonshop. Not only were the appliqués crocheted, they were also snails, bugs, mushrooms- just everything I love really. 

Amy, the creator of @_thecottonshop is a mum to one based in East Sussex. Each character/ embroidered word you see is hand crocheted and designed by her. Crochet isn’t quick, it’s a mindful craft that takes a lot of concentration. You can see the attention that goes into each one of Amy’s designs. They’re truly special pieces of clothing that you’ll want to keep long after your little one has grown out of them. 

Baba Bears.

Finally, I’d like to talk about @bababears…

Just like Moppet, part of the process of Bababears is produced outside of the UK. As Ashley said in one of her recent instagram posts, people often assume that means that they are bought in bulk and she simply personalises them. But that’s not the case. Instead, just like Moppet, there is a pretty cool story behind the making of these bears…

I’ve followed Ashley’s journey on instagram as she embarked on the daunting task of scaling her business. With experience in this myself, I can tell you that if you believe in quality and ethics, this process is not simple. And knowing a bit about crochet myself, I know that genuine crochet can’t be done on a machine. This then would add an extra hurdle that Ashley would have to work around. 

So, after years of design, development, building her brand, sourcing, samples etc. it really made me smile to see that she has decided to work with a non-profit trust called @monanmifoundation. 

The Monanmi foundation works with migrant women in Delhi, India and provides them with training courses in handcrafts, giving them the skills and stability to support their families. Many of these women were not educated past the age of primary school so the trust provides them with employment and financial stability all whilst furthering their education. 

In addition to this, Monanmi also provide help and training with life skills, such as opening a bank account, computer skills, self help groups and more. They also run sessions on things like yoga to improve mental and physical wellbeing. 

Once the Bababears arrive back with Ashley, there is then a beautiful selection of hand knitted clothing, all of which is designed by herself and made by local knitters in the UK. Once you’ve chosen your bear or bunnies outfit, Ashley then hand embroiders the personalisation on to each one; no small task when running the rest of the business herself and also looking after a 3 year old and a 7 month old!

It’s easy to fall in love with these characters as they are beautiful, but knowing how much time and effort goes into each one makes them all the more special. A gift that you know will be cherished for years to come!

Photo taken by @beccaselbiephotography. Make sure to check out her page for stunning Newborn and maternity shoots.  

I will forever champion businesses that put this much time and effort into their products and brand. It’s hard to explain how much of a rollercoaster being a business owner actually is unless you've experienced it for yourself. Many of us come from a background of being creative and then have to learn so much along the way. We’ve gained a wealth of knowledge in the time we’ve been working on Nestie and still there are days that it feels like we have no idea what we’re doing. 

The business landscape changes daily and each new day brings a new challenge. So the next time you look at buying from a small business, just know, it really does, truly, make our day!!