Burnt out by their jobs, Danish sisters Sif and Gry quit them and set off on a three-month trek through India and Nepal in search of inspiration. They found it in a small village near Katmandu where the local women create gorgeous, colored felt. With flip-flops on their feet and packs on their backs, the sisters brainstormed about how they could turn the felt into a business. And so Én Gry & Sif was born.

The Beginning

Once back in Copenhagen, the sisters set out to build a company that would sell delightful one-of-a-kind items blending Scandinavian design with Nepalese felted wool. The result is a range of products from whimsical toys to sophisticated embroidered floor cushions.

The “Én” in Én Gry & Sif means “unique” in Danish, and for good reason: each item is handcrafted and therefore slightly different from all the others. Although neither had any training in art or design—Sif was in hotel management and Gry worked in an office—the sisters come from a long line of crafty women. One grandmother sewed haute couture and another was a skilled knitter and embroiderer. But even without a background in art or design, the two women had a keen sensibility—both for the products and the company itself.

The Heart

As they built their company, the sisters never forgot those Nepalese women making felt in that small village outside Katmandu. With those women in mind, the sisters structured the business to ensure that their own values would imbue company decisions. That meant good working conditions for the Nepalese felt makers, particularly a less stressful work site that included green areas and access to clean drinking water and environment-friendly toilets. The sisters visit two to four times a year to meet with workers and to inspect the workshops and make sure working conditions are up to standard.

The sisters see their felt creations as a welcome change from the many products on the market today that are made anonymously, as cheaply as possible and sold to consumers without any trace of their creators’ identities. The sisters believe that today’s customers want more – that people yearn for items with a bit of soul in them and want to be reassured that the workers who made the product were treated well and paid a decent wage. We strongly agree!

The Highlights

Gry and Sif come from a large family and since they started the company in 2002, it has grown even further with the addition of two sons, one each. The boys not only provide the spark for many of the children’s products, but test drive them as well. Many of the toys are inspired by the sisters’ own memories and loves. The sisters delve back into their youth and create designs based on the cheery home of their childhood.

Congratulations to Gry and Sif for creating beautifully designed, top-quality and eco-friendly products in a socially responsible way. We're delighted to offer your treasures!

Gifts with style and relevance from a socially responsible small business . . .