Eco-Embrace
Embrace Earth's Abundance With Grace & Style!!
In conversation with Hema Kannan, Founder
Give us some background about your work/profession?
I graduated as a Mechanical Engineer from India and survived an IT career in Retail, Financial sectors doing mainframes & later Business Intelligence in the US for about 12 years & have been living with my husband Kannan in the Boston area.
Share with us the story of how Eco-embrace was born?
At the time life was a big challenge both on personal & professional fronts. Being aware of the fact that I struggled the internal conflict of not wanting to continue in it further and giving up a 6-digit salary, yet not knowing what I really wanted, a day came when I got laid off!
Oh my! More than shocking & sadness, it was just such a relief!!!! Feeling liberated I just took the time off without having to continue to believe the story of my commitments, responsibility, etc
I came across a Japanese healing art known as REIKI & enrolled as a student and studied it for over 2 years and got certified as a teacher. Having found its healing effects on myself I started offering my complimentary Reiki services at WHOLE FOODS & then started out my own practice & teaching – DHAYA EMBRACE REIKI in Hopkinton. I was touched and moved by the impact of what I could help change or create in other people’s lives. Meanwhile I started shopping few gifts for my clients who were appreciative of crafts & kept teaching REIKI.
And during one of my travel back to India, came across an artificial jewelry manufacturer friend and purchased a whole bunch. Along with that I also bought a unique pair of earrings made of seeds & paddy for myself. All the bling stuff was sold out like hot cakes by which I understood there is really a thirst in our community especially for self-expression!!
And the seed jewelry made me wonder how simple things from nature could be so beautiful & inspiring! I then went back to understand the source of how that’s made and fascinated by the fact that it helps women get empowered, it was a no brainer – this is what I wanted to pursue. So got ourselves invested into it, an experiment of selling became a journey to embrace it all together - Designing a Eco, Social impact & Handmade arts - viola ECO EMBRACE was born!!!! And this gave us the unique quotient to differentiate ourselves from rest of the vendors.
What is the philosophy behind it?
In a nutshell the philosophy is to serve as a means to enrich our lives by empowering the Arts & Artisans in a sustainable way possible and allow a shopping platform that’s guilt free and expressing ourselves as who we truly are!!
Apart from local markets and stores, the main breath of our model is to contribute even in a small way at the Arts & Charity fundraiser events around New England and connect our Artisans work with the enthusiasts that understand the impact!!!
What are the various products under Eco embrace?
Who are the artists you support and what kind of jewelry is designed?
We work with an array of artisans – ranging from very rural less skilled women groups to fine mural artists and crafters and weavers from India & Thailand. Most of them are women artisans. And we partner with other Fair Trade, NGO organizations as well.
The products:
ï¶ Sacred Seeds – Organic seed jewelry,
ï¶ Earthy Tones – Baked clay terracotta, Murals
ï¶ Tribal – Dokra, Tibetan, Afghani jewelry
ï¶ Vintage Vibes – Upscaled, recycled collection of trendy Apparels, Bags, Scarves,
ï¶ Ayurvedic Wellness Scarves - Medicinal Herbal infused handloom scarves for wellness.
ï¶ Handloom Harmony – Handloom sarees & Hand block printed Veg dyed.
ï¶ Pattachitra – Drawings on tapestry
ï¶ Umang Goodies– Physically/Mentally challenged people’s art & craft works.
ï¶ Jute burlap, we even carry recycled POOP paper stationery and gifts ïŠ
How can readers get to know more and what is the contact information?
Our studio is located in Franklin, currently operating by appointments only! Please like us on fb to stay updated on new arrivals, events & Stories. We ship to all major states in the US. If curious to experience or learn Reiki for self-healing. You can connect with us via fb, email or phone:
www.fb.com/ecoembrace eco.embrace@gmail.com
Hema – 781-405-1682
www.dhayaembrace.com
Above all this I take this opportunity to THANK the love and embrace from the Artfully aware New Englanders in every step that we take and our gratitude to all the supporters of Handmade Arts & Artisans!!
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