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Meet Paulomi from Handmade by Tinni, a self-taught textile jewellery designer based in London. SoLo Craft Fair sits down with founder Paulomi to discuss the difficulties of building a business during a global pandemic, the ethos and inspirations behind Handmade by Tinni, and her top tips for other aspiring makers.
“I decided to launch my brand during a very challenging time when the whole world was going through a crisis. The life we used to know has changed drastically and we’ve all had to adjust to a new normal – hello Zoom, sanitisers, masks and lockdown.”
“It’s nerve-racking and scary for any business, let alone a new independent creative launch. Additionally, I’m a social person at heart and thrive on face-to-face meetings and interactions. The lack of human interaction at craft fairs and exhibitions has really added to the challenge. But when life throws you a lemon, you learn to make lemonade with it.”
In difficult circumstances Paulomi took to building her brand online. “Social media was a big help and with the use of intelligent hashtags, engaging content, clean photography and my creative prowess, I was able to convert visitors to my social media page into followers and then customers. I am a sales and marketing professional after all.”
The name Tinni is used as it reflects Paulomi’s alternative personality. “It’s my pet name – cheeky, full of fun and colourful.” Handmade by Tinni was a natural step for Paulomi who has always had a passion for unique, handcrafted jewellery.
“When I set up my brand in 2020 my inspirations were drawn from the bright colours of nature, the amazing places that I have travelled to over the years and most importantly from the rich heritage of India. I’m really proud that at the age of 40 I took a leap of faith and bravely started a new design venture. Although not an easy decision, it’s certainly been very satisfying.”
“I mainly use age-old rope knotting crafts and techniques like macramé – creating colourful, unique and bold designs is what makes my textile jewellery stand out! I chose cotton as my main design medium as I am passionate about the environment.
It’s sustainable and biodegradable, soft to wear, hypoallergenic, colourful, and extremely flexible to use, allowing my imagination to flow.”
Paulomi admits that she takes great pride in making each piece by hand. “I believe jewellery has the power to bring joy to our day. This motivates me to design colourful, bold designs that can make the consumer look beautiful, glow with happiness and stand out in a crowd. Love nature, look beautiful and be proud.”
Paulomi hopes to grow Handmade by Tinni over the next two to three years, with the aim of scaling up the business into a reputable, sustainable UK design brand.
“I plan to explore creative partnerships and brand collaborations to add flare to my business. At the same time I want to expand my wholesale partnerships and grow the revenue from that angle. I hope to always remain true to the original ethos of being a small independent design brand that is sustainable, colourful, and unusual – just like me.”
Paulomi recognises how demanding a new business can be. “As a business owner you need to be prepared to wear multiple hats. It’s exciting and liberating. In one day you can be the creator, the digital marketing manager, the accountant, the administrator, the social media manager, the customer service manager, the salesperson, and the head designer. Remember to take a break from it all as balance is key for your wellbeing.”
“My other top tips would be to not waste too much time on perfecting your images. Aesthetics are important but often that time could be spent doing something far more productive. Make use of image-editing apps! Start an email list, and don’t worry too much about follower numbers, just focus on creating engaging content from the very start! And remember, it’s never too late to set another goal or to dream a new dream!”