How did you get into designing and creating handcrafted items? Tell me a little bit about your background.
I went to Otis College of Arts and Design and I studied product design. That’s where I learned how to do the woodworking that I do so that’s pretty much what sparked my interest in it. We learned how to make various different products using different materials – we did a ceramics, woodworking, metal working – it was really fun and I enjoyed it a lot. That’s definitely how I got to starting my business. In terms of my experience, I first worked for this company in LA for a couple of years but eventually decided I didn’t really want to do that anymore and that I wanted to start my own business. So I joined a local woodshop just to get an idea if this business would be viable and people just kept encouraging me. When I started the business I moved up to the Bay area.
So how long have you been here in the Bay area?
Almost 6 years.
And what was it like building your business as a young entrepreneur?
Honestly I think I was so willing to do it because I was so naive and young. I was very naive. I was able to bootstrap everything and I was able to buy all my tools and everything like that but I was very poor for a couple of years trying to figure it all out. Eventually I did figure it all out.
What advice would you give to other young entrepreneurs?
I would let them know that they need to work hard and be okay with putting themselves out there. I really got my start because I was always thinking about what other things I could do, what things I could improve on. And if you can use the skills you already have and put that into your business it will save you money and the return is that much more special. The number one thing I needed to learn was that things take time and you need to just stick with it.
So how would you describe your designs? If someone came in and asked “What is your brand”, how would you respond?
So I would definitely say something about how my products are handcrafted objects that are responsibly made for the home. I imagine these products being for the customer that I would be. I created some of these designs for myself because I personally wanted to bring plants into my home without having to worry about whatever is holding them falling over and completely breaking. Hence, you know the cork that I use. So I really wanted to fill that void of being able to make decorations that are reliable. If I want something and I feel like there’s not really anything in that market for it then I’ll try to make it.
You use a sustainable and local materials for your items. Where do you source these materials from and why is this sourcing of sustainable materials important for the brand?
So most of my wood comes locally and by locally I mean in the U.S. I make sure that the things I’m receiving aren’t coming from a boat or something like that. We really try to watch our carbon footprint. At the end of the day this is important to us because we need to do our part for the world and I like knowing that what I’m creating can sustain itself and can be used for a long time. It means a lot that I can create these designs in an ecofriendly way but also create things that people really like. We want to be eco friendly and people in general are just becoming more aware of this when they buy products. People are paying attention to where their products come from, what they’re really made of, how they’re made, and this really does make a difference for the environment. If it costs more money for us to create products with sustainability in mind then we will spend that money.
What kinds of things do you find yourself getting inspiration from?
Nature is a huge portion of my inspiration. Shapes and amazing sculpture artists from the mid-century modern era such as Alex Gerard and people like that. Just how they thought about form, function, and overall how they made their creations. So I would say those are some of my inspirations and I’m just always on the lookout for different things that I want to make.
Are Melanie’s designs available outside of your website? Are they available in retail spaces?
I’m actually in a lot of retail spaces now. I’ve been in about 20 other stores and it’s a great way to get my name out there and make money. It’s a great way to be able to get in front of my customers.
Are you involved in any pop-ups or trade shows and what are people’s reactions to your designs in these spaces?
Yeah, so I do a lot of those. I think going back to the question about how far I’ve come, I realized that going to these trade shows is very important for business because I get to share my designs with customers in person. I enjoy taking photographs of my products and being able to use these photos to sell the stuff I create but you can’t truly appreciate the handwork and materials unless you see them in person. Like cork is really nice to touch and so is wood – you just can’t get that gratification from looking at a photo so being able to show these products in person is very important. I do a couple wholesale trade shows in New York twice a year and I’ve actually just finished a show in London – that was the first time I did anything outside the U.S. so that was really fun. For the holidays I’ll always do some shows. I’m doing one called the Joint Holiday Market and then I’m doing another called West Coast Craft in San Francisco then bringing that same show to LA. Right now I like to experiment and see what people are interested in. I might make a couple of random things and see how people feel about those. I like to see what people gravitate towards.
You’re celebrating the 5th anniversary of Melanie’s designs. What are some ways that you’ve grown from when you first started to now and what hopes do you have for the next five years?
I’ve grown a lot. I definitely feel lucky that I’ve been able to sustain my own lifestyle with the business because you know it’s important that I’m able to pay my bills. But now I have my own studio which is awesome and I think I’ve come to a point where I know what I really want for my business and I know what it takes to strive for that. I’m trying to do more interior design and hopefully more projects that go into larger sectors and just be more out there. I think what I really want to focus on is making more specific creations for customers – something out there and crazy. I want to do more weird and unique things.
// Check out some of Melanie’s designs on her website: melanieabrantes.com; photography courtesy of Melanie Abrantes.
