håndværk is a company that has a very focused and dedicated level of enthusiasm for the products that they create.

This shows through in their products in such a beautiful way!

Here is their company ethos:

We create luxury essentials of uncompromising quality by crafting timelessly elegant products using the world’s finest natural fibers. Our heritage is grounded in three generations of small-scale family production; a storied legacy of manufacturing textiles, garments, and luxury products. Our minimalist style incorporates clean, pure lines, and pays homage to the materials used. Functional design accentuates the relationship between the human body and the exquisite comfort derived from the ultimate softness of our fabrics.

More than a statement of our devotion to the highest standards of craftsmanship and quality, we aim to update the definition of “luxury” with thoughtful design, premium materials, and with how each product is made. We hand-make or hand-finish each individual piece in collaboration with other family owned workshops specialized in their craft, and who share our unwavering commitment for exceptional quality. Small production runs allow us to be selective when sourcing materials and with how we make each product.

We produce for those few who are truly thoughtful when investing in a product, appreciate the rigorous process required for high quality manufacturing, and understand how håndværk is redefining how luxury essentials should be made. Our inaugural collection has been thoughtfully curated to form the foundation of a modern and timeless wardrobe. We traveled to Peru for the finest Pima cotton from the northern coastal valleys and to Scotland for the best Mongolian cashmere and superfine merino wool.

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We recently caught up with the super busy Esteban Saba the co founder and CEO of håndværk. Here’s what he had to share: 

 

How did you first get started with handvaerk?

We started working on  (officially) in May 2012 and we launch mid October 2013 (i resigned my banking job mid August 2012).

I had worked as an investment banker (mergers and acquisitions) since 1995, but my family has been in the textile business since the early 1900′s, thus, we have an amazing network, and some really good mentors who have helped out, including my mother, who has been instrumental in terms of inspiration and advise.

 

How long have you known you wanted to do what you are currently working on?

I had been playing around with the idea of handvaerk for about a decade… daydreaming about it while I was an associate at JPMorgan (2002-2005).

The real catalyst to get it going was meeting my wife (Petra Brichnacova); she is an FIT graduate, textile design. She has that “lets just go for it” attitude and our skills really complement each others well. We met late summer 2010, got married summer 2011, and soon after, we were both obsessing to do this project; it was beyond our control… we had to do it.

Why are you passionate about what you do?

First, we love the type of products that we are making, and how we are making them. We love the fact that we are making a simple product with true quality. The whole process is amazing, from sourcing our raw materials, to engineering our yarns and unique fabrics, and working with other small family owned workshops to finish our products. Small batches, real attention to detail, not mass produced.

 

Second, It also taps into our heritage, there is a part of me that finds what we are doing now intuitive, sort of in my blood.

 

Collaborating with my wife Petra is also great; she is a true artist, and I feel that her contributions really make the brand what it is… simple, minimal, clean, etc. she is just one of those people that “get it”.

 

At the end of the day, what truly drives us is making a product that really resonates with our target market, and seeing how much people love what we have been able to create.

How did you overcome your own doubts and the doubts of other people?

We both had careers, and started working on handvaerk on the side, until it overtook us…

 

Any project like this is a leap of faith, but we figured, we will do are very best, create a product that we are proud to share with world, and if for some reason things don’t work out, we can always go back to what we were doing, it would not be the end of the world.

 

But now, we are like, there is no way we are going back to our previous jobs, we are hooked. We love the challenges of running a label like handvaerk, and we are ready for battle…

 

What were some bumps you hit to get where you’re at now?

Product development was difficult, we engineered our own yarns, and fabrics, and work with our partners to execute the plan. We did everything from scratch, and we wanted our partners to work in a certain way. We really had to sell them on our vision, they had to believe in us and in our ideas about handvaerk because they had to invest lots of time working with us (a very small company w/out lots of volume) to develop our products.

 

What is one thing you did wrong in the past that you can share with people?

Be more organized. When you are doing a start up, sometimes you tend to get lost in the day to day fire-drills… staying focused on your long list of tasks is not always easy. But i think we always managed to prioritize the important stuff, which saved us.

 

The other things is to better separate work from life… doing a project with your spouse or partner is not always easy; you need to learn where to draw the line.

What is a way you got your name out there?

I think word of mouth has been our best marketing tool. people discover handvaerk, buy our products, and share our story and craft with their friends. we are a niche luxury brand, not a mass market brand, thus, making sure we know who our market is is key.

 

It also helps that we work in NYC and Southampton, two places where getting your stuff in front of the right audience is a bit easier.

 

Is there anything that almost stopped you from doing this?

Absolutely. Leaving your career to pursue a dream is never easy…

Petra, my wife, she has this amazing attitude of lets go for it! do it now or never! (investment bankers like myself don’t really think that way… we are a bit more paused, we need to analyze everything before making a move)

She has been extremely patient and supportive, and she is running the company with me, which takes a bit of the pressure off my back, as we are both responsible for handvaerk’s success.

 

Is there anyone in your profession that you admire and/or model yourself after?

We love certain brands, such as Margaret Howell, or the iconic family businesses such as Corgi (uk sock manufacturers), or brands that have been around for a while like Mackintosh rain costs. In essence, we love brands that know their craft, and we are not huge fans of the “fast-food” version of fashion, we like the “farm to table” approach to things.

 

How do you continue to perfect your craft?

Seek constructive criticism and get real candid feedback from your customers. No one is ever done improving, and it is key that you truly want to listen to what your customers are saying, the good as well as the bad…

What’s some advice you can share for anyone who wants to pursuit what you are doing?

Start now! don’t wait. You just have to come to the conclusion that you do not have all the answers today, and the confidence to move forward, to know that you will find the answers along the way…

Simple advice: the sooner you get started working, the sooner you will reach your goal (which will no doubt change along the way…)

I always have this question for Petra: what have we done today that will make a difference in our journey with handvaerk?

 

How do you envision the future of your product/services?

Key for us is to stay focus on our craft.

Grow from the core, and expand based on our customer’s needs and what we feel we can execute extremely well.

You have an awesome website!! How much of your business is driven by online buyers/clients?

Right now we are 100% online, but that is only phase 1. We are working hard on our wholesale, and physical retail strategy. We want to make sure that we align ourselves with the right partners.

 

Where can people go to find out more about your awesome products/services?

www.handvaerk.com

 

Thanks  Esteban! Tweet handvaerk at: 

 

Check out Our 7 Days Theory Give-Away With handvaerk here >>> handvaerk give-away

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