Lights from Aid to Artisans’ booth at NY Now.
NEW YORK – Crafts from Pakistan, Mexico, Myanmar, Haiti and Tibet lined ATA’s trademark orange booth during the 2014 semi-yearly NY Now Gift Show held in August. With sales totaling $65,000, the ATA booth proved to be a smashing success. Exhibitors featured in the ATA booth offered a wide variety of products from pillows and scarves to hand puppets and jewelry.
ATA Mexico exhibited for a third time, including products from five brands that they have connected with artisans in Chiapas. Abrazo Style, MDE Mexico, Artemateria, Chiapas Bazaar and Catrinka exhibited an eclectic mix of products including purses, pillows, clothing apparel, glassware and items for home décor.
From Tibet, the highly popular Dropenling featured unique and colorful dolls, toys, and bags. Dropenling is a social enterprise designed to provide sustainable, long-term solutions to the promotion and preservation of Tibetan culture.
With its fusion of traditional weaving techniques and modern textile design, Yoyamay, a 2 generation family business, exhibited beautifully woven pillowcases, table runners and purses crafted by artisans in Myanmar.
In collaboration with artisans in Haiti, Bambou Chic d’Haiti, featured colorful bangles created from bamboo. Bambou Chic d’Haiti is an artisan group formed by participants who completed training in ATA’s Bamboo Workshop II, established to economically and socially support impoverished Haitians who are HIV-positive. ATA is making a special effort to aid these artisans and with a minimum order of 10 bangles through ATA, the public can help support this often overlooked community in Haiti.
From its humble beginnings in Peshawar, Pakistan based company LEL Inlay made its first appearance at NY Now.
“LEL Inlay craft was given a tremendous opportunity to launch in NYC with unwavering support and direction of ATA. We were so privileged to be in the company of such an incredibly generous, supportive, inspiring, passionate and project focused team,” says Dondrill Glover, who was one of two representatives of LEL Inlay at the NY Now show and ATA booth. “We had such a spirited booth team, the energy was high and team player support all the way, along with having many other ATA members stop by extending warm welcome and best wishes from brand success at show and beyond, was so affirming for us.”
With its carefully designed jewelry and ceramics, the crafts by LEL Inlay featured intricate work with semi-precious stones such as lapis lazuli and made for an exciting new addition to the ATA booth.
Also for the first time, ATA sold dried sachets of lavender grown by ATA’s president, Bill Kruvant, at his La Paz (Peace) farm in Virginia. Proceeds from the lavender sales will be contributed to ATA and will help fund ATA programs and projects around the world. These wonderfully aromatic sachets can be purchased year-around through ATA for $5 per sachet.
Friends of ATA gather for the annual Cocktail Reception.
This August, ATA also held its annual Cocktail Reception. The event was well attended by buyers, exhibitors, Market Readiness Program™ participants and numerous friends of ATA. This event featured an assortment of crafts by MRP participants which were met with much enthusiasm by the ATA community.
Thank you all for your continued support and we look forward to attending NY Now again in February 2015. If you are interested in attending NY Now as a seller in our booth, an MRP participant, or just as a good ATA friend, please contact us here.
