Tell us about
where it all began and what inspired you to start Handmade by Tinni 

Handmade by Tinni was a
destined step for me, born out of my passion for handcrafted unique jewellery.
When I set-up my brand finally in 2020, my design inspiration came from the
bright colours of nature, amazing places that I have travelled to over the
years, and most importantly from the rich heritage of India.

AND…… am totally addicted to
jewellery. My mum often teases me, saying that I am building a secret jewellery
museum. And being an Indian by origin, I am spoilt for choice and variety. I am
extremely proud of my eccentric collection which is a mix of vintage, one of a
kind or contemporary design. 

2020 – A turning point

I followed my lifelong
ambition and finally launched my own sustainable jewellery brand – Handmade by
Tinni

I love colour, I love handcrafted jewellery
and I love travelling. My brand combines all
these inspirations to create something unique.

(Tinni is my pet name – it
is like my alternate personality – cheeky, full of fun and colourful) 

Handmade by Tinni – Sustainable Statement
Textile Jewellery and Home Décor

“Do more of what makes you
happy!”

I decided to launch my brand in a very
challenging time when the whole world was going through a crisis. Our life the
way we know it, has changed drastically and some new habits are part of our
normal now, hello ‘zoom’, ‘sanitisers’, ‘masks’, ‘lockdown’… etc. 

It is nerve wracking and scary for any
business, let alone a new independent creative launch. Plus, I am a social
person and pretty much thrive on face-to-face meetings and interactions. So,
the lack of human interactions at craft fairs or exhibitions, really added to
the challenge. 

But when life throws you a lemon, you learn
to make a lemonade with it. 

I adopted my digital persona in no time and was able to turn the
situation around creatively in my favour. Social media was a big help and with
the use of intelligent hashtags, engaging content, clean photography, and my
creative prowess, I was able to transform visitors to my social page to become
my followers and then customers.

Afterall, I am a sales and marketing professional at heart. 

Incorporating sustainability in my brand –

A Local Brand –

I am based in London and make all my
jewellery here. By supporting my brand, you are minimising your carbon
footprint! Transport puts out a huge amount of C02, which can be reduced by
minimizing the distances during production.

Handmade products –

I take great pride in making each piece by
hand. Nothing is machine made and you get to know the actual person who made
your jewellery

Supporting ‘Shop Local’ campaign –

Small businesses are often run by people who
live nearby. As the UK continues to recover from the pandemic, the experience
of buying locally from a friendly face offers a dose of normality that many
people may have missed.

ORGANIC COTTON

This saves us from pesticides and is way
better for the health and land of the farmers and protects wildlife. Plus –

·         It is biodegradable.

·         It is Eco friendly

·         It is Lightweight.

·         It is locally sourced and produced.

And cotton is soft to wear,
anti-allergic, colourful, and extremely flexible to let my imagination flow.

2.       What makes your
brand unique?My brand values, my
aesthetics and my timeless yet fun designs make my brand unique. I have incorporated the
feeling of joy & happiness along with sustainability & creativity in my
brand values to offer something unique to my audience.

I take great pride in making each piece by hand. My aim is to make
anyone embrace colours, look beautiful and feel proud they showcase my designs.
I also specialise in custom designs that will be unique to the buyer.

My most popular design remains the word necklaces especially the ‘Love’
and ‘Hello’ necklaces. In addition to the popular words, I can make any word
that might be dear to someone. I recommend 4/5 letters max for the best look on
the necklace. This is truly unique and statement.

Lastly all my designs are offered in 28 colour choices so that you will
always find your colour.

3.    
Where do you see your brand in the next few
years? Any specific goals or aspirations?

I love what I do, and I will be doing that
consistently. I would hope that in 2-3 years, I would be able to scale up the
business and grow into a fairly known sustainable design brand in the UK. I
plan to explore creative partnerships and brand collaborations to add some
spice into my business. At the same time, I will work on my wholesale
partnerships and grow the revenue from that angle.

However, I will always remain true to my
brand essence of being a small independent design brand that is sustainable,
colourful, and unusual – Just like me.

4.    
As you know Popup United is all about supporting
small businesses… So as a small business what advice would you give to other
small business owners who are just starting out?

·      
Being an independent business means wearing
multiple hats. It is exciting and liberating. You are the creator, digital
marketing manager, the accountant, the admin, the social media scheduler &
manager, the customer service manager, the salesperson, and the head designer.
Remember to take a break from it all as balance is key for our wellbeing.

·      
Stop spending too much time making images too
perfect! Aesthetics are important to have an eye-catching image, but you could
have spent that time doing something more productive. Or used an app to get
images corrected quicker.

·      
Do not be affected by the follower number and
rather focus on how to create engaging content from the very start.

·      
Start an email list.

5.    
What is your favourite piece from the range and
why? (Please send us a picture of the chosen item.)

It is very hard to pick among all your creations as
you put little bit of your soul in each of them. However, if I really must, I
will choose the ‘Love’ word necklace.

This was the first design that really earned my
place in our creative community and became my signature design. I have since
created several custom word necklaces as I can make any word (4/5 letters max
recommended) like your name or belief or fun words, into wearable pieces.

6.    
What can we look forward to seeing? Do you have any
new collaborations or new projects coming up?

I am working on some new designs and I will be
sharing them with the world next month. They are colourful, fun, and unusual. I
am confident that my clientele will love them.

7.    
What is one thing you really want the reader to
know about Handmade by Tinni 

I believe jewellery has the power to bring joy in
our day. This motivates me to design colourful bold jewellery that can make you
glow with happiness and stand out in a crowd. You will also feel proud when
showcasing my designs as they are handmade, sustainable and unique.

Love Nature, Look Beautiful & Be Proud

My quote –

“It’s never too late to
set another goal or to dream a NEW DREAM!”