One Sneak Peek Into The World of Crafts

Whenever we think of student entrepreneurs, we think of starry-eyed young visionaries who aim to build the next Google, Apple or Facebook.

Coders and programmers who aspire to create apps, softwares or digital platforms that would wow the world

We rarely hear of youths venturing into other sectors, much less into the world of artisan crafts

Meet Jiarong, founder of Crafty Crafty, a small business that aims to modernise traditional crafts by promoting them through revitalised designs.

They work on various design projects and provide them directly to customers through their website.

Crafty Crafty also conducts workshops that teach members of the public to make goods using traditional craft techniques.

Here’s some of the main pointers from our short conversation together:

1. Going against the trend

“We are now getting into an era that is increasingly technologically advanced. You see many AI products being promoted, and actually, many investors in Singapore have never heard about traditional crafts. It is a very new idea locally.

But I won’t say that what we do is very niche, because a lot of big brands have launched sidelines that utilise traditional crafts - including household names like Gucci and Fenty. I think customers have an increasing need to feel the human touch nowadays. In fact, in countries like Korea, Japan and China, traditional crafts has historically played significant roles in the local culture.

At Crafty Crafty, we cover Japanese Mitzuhiki, Chinese Knots, Kintsugi, Henna, Hokkien Grapevine weaving, Rattan, Teochew lantern-making and many more….”

2. Drawing inspiration from his own personal background

“I come from a family of traditional craftsmen. My grandfather did woodcraft as a youth in China, while my grandmother did traditional sewing and once ran a sewing factory decades ago. My mother did bamboo weaving. She used to make baskets and sell to local markets.

My mother eventually joined my grandmother’s sewing factory and did branding for the goods sold. When my father started a furniture company from his skills in woodcrafting, the family business pivoted to selling furniture instead.

I think when I started Crafty Crafty, my family were quite delighted. My father had been trying to explore traditional crafts from the Southeast Asia region, and this endeavour brought my whole family together.

As we do touch on fashion products, my mother, a former seamstress, was very happy too. My grandfather even opened up more and shared with all of us his experiences as a craftsman.”

3. Valuing the vision

“I did have issues with my initial co-founders. We had different working styles and some of us treated Crafty Crafty as a passion project rather than being serious about it like me.

I feel vision alignment is extremely important, with an emphasis on commitment to the business. Working styles can be changed or adjusted, but commitment is hard to. I think it is fine to be short-tempered, as long as you can ensure that your capabilities are as great as your temper….

I value commitment and specific skills when looking for new hires.”

Feel free to approach Jiarong if you would like to add a touch of culture to your existing company!

Connect with Jiarong here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xiejiarong/

Stay tuned for more insights from our interview series as we continue to explore the stories of trailblazers breaking barriers and redefining success.