Honest about the origin
We want to be transparent about how and where our products are made. We try to be in direct contact with all the designers, producers and other participants throughout the supply chain of the collection.
Mpanda Batik
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Mpanda Batik is a small enterprise in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. It is runned by Neema, an ambitious woman, who started this small scale batik and tie dye production a few years ago with help of local authorities and NGO’s. Local batik artist come in and use the facility to create their own batiks and sell them to tourists and shops. Neema and her people develop their own patterns and colours. All cloths are handmade from Tanzanian cotton fabrics.
For our first production we brought the fabrics to the Netherlands and made the cushion covers in the atelier Stage53 in Enschede. Our next collection will also contain some of our own developed patterns and colours and we hope to assemble the cushions in Tanzania as well.
Stage 53
Enschede – The Netherland
Stage 53 is one of the few studios in the Netherlands where garments are designed, produced and sold directly to the client. Also (starting) designers and brands can develop their prototypes and produce larger quantities. The employees are mostly refugees with a background as tailor or employee in the clothing industry in their country of origin, such as Syria, Iraq, Eastern Turkey, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone. At Stage 53 they have a regular paid job.
For AnnaFind craftsmanship, quality and sustainability are key so this studio is the ultimate place to develop new products and having made the small-scale productions.
Nahad
Nahad Walibabak is a fashion designer with Afghan roots. She grew up in the Netherlands and from a very young age Nahad showed special interest for the world of fashion. In 2012, after finishing Fashion School and successfully designing for other brands, Nahad follows her dream and starts her brand NAHAD, Aghani for Soul. Inspired by different cultures, Nahad creates a unique blend of fashion which intertwines the two worlds. She is known for her bold collection where she uses traditional Burka fabric for hip, contemporary Western styles. Nahad: “The goal is to have people refine their style through my clothing without having them become victims of fashion. It is my purpose to support woman. I don’t design clothes. I design dreams ”
Nahad worked at Stage53 in Enschede until 2018. She helped develop our first collection of cushions, shawls and dresses for AnnaFind.
Ottomania
“Oya” from Central Turkey
A very delicate sort of needlework found in Turkey is needlepoint lace, called ‘oya’ or ‘igne oyasi’ in Turkish. This delicate lace is made using thread and needle, and is, unlike what some people think, not related to crochet or bobbin lace. Although, in some regions you will find crocheted ‘oya’ as well. Traditionally, the ‘oya’ is worked into tiny floral edges to decorate scarves, often of multiple colours. Every region has its own style of lace: small and delicate, large and brightly coloured, with or without beads. In different regions of Turkey there are initiatives where they make beautiful jewellery with the local variant of ‘oya’. Usually several women work on a collective basis. The fine crochet bracelets with small beads are quite elegant. They are collectively made for the Dutch brand Ottomania by a number of women in central Turkey. This keeps the regions distinctive, beautiful traditional handicrafts alive and gives the artisan makers an income. The bracelets and necklaces are made of nylon thread with glass beads, so they can just get wet or being washed (in a washing bag). With a cotton cloth in between, the bracelets can also be ironed.
AnnaFind is about beautiful, sometimes forgotten, traditional skills, techniques and crafts for creating and embellishing honest garments, textiles, accessories and interior products.
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