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History and philosophy
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-Philosophy
Burnt out by her job Gry went with her sister Sif on a three-month trek through India and Nepal in search of inspiration.
She found it in a small village near Kathmandu where the local women create gorgeous, colo-red felt
The beginning
With flip-flops on their feet and packs on their backs, the sisters brainstormed about how they could turn the felt into a business and thought:
”Why not combine Scandinavian design with Nepalese felted wool? -And so Én Gry & Sif was born.
The idea
The year 2000
The result was a range of products from whimsical toys to sophisticated embroide-red floor cushions.
means unique!The “Én” in Én Gry & Sif means “unique”. In Danish, and for good reason: Each item is handcrafted and therefore slightly different from all the others.
As Gry built the company, she never forgot those Nepalese women making felt in that small village outside Kathmandu. With those women in mind, she structured the business to ensure that their own values would imbue company decisions.
That meant good working conditions for the Nepalese felt makers, par-ticularly a less stressful work site that included green areas and access to clean drinking water and environment-friendly toilets.
Today, up to 1.000 workers in Nepal work with Én Gry & Sif products.
In 2009 Én Gry & Sif got there Fair Trade certification from The World Fair Trade Organization.
100% Fair Trade
Gry is the head Designer of Én Gry & Sif, and she still enjoys visiting Nepal several times a year.
”I find inspiration in my daily life. When I design a new Én Gry & Sif item, it must be something I want to use myself, in my home, for my kids, as Christmas decoration etc.”
For Gry the design is very important, but she knows that today’s costumer wants more:
“Today’s customers want more. People yearn for items with a bit of soul in them and want to be reassured that the workers who make the product are treated well and paid a decent wage. Social responsibility and fair trade has been important for me from the very beginning, and I am happy to experience that these issues are becoming more and more important to our customers”.
