Woolen headbands: More Than a Headpiece

Nepal - a word that when you hear will automatically spark outdoor adventures, camping bags, hot coffee, challenging terrains, rock climbing, snow-filled mountains and of course the Mount Everest.

But do you know that there’s more to this country than the tallest mountain in the world? Zooming in, you’ll see a small country rich in culture, history, heart-warming stories, fun festivities, different ethnic groups, great craft ideas and people who continuously try to preserve their culture in many different ways and incorporate it into their everyday pursuit. But there are also stories of the sad realities, the pandemic, the scarcity of opportunities, the challenge of finding ways to put food on the table. All these are the constant daily burdens the families of this country are facing.

Pran is one of the many witnesses of this struggle. Her two-year experience working as a healthcare assistant is a big challenge, a huge commitment and a call of duty, handling the rising Covid 19 cases with limited resources and little support. She has seen stories of hardships, as most women of her country stay at home and solely depend on the income of their husbands to raise the family.

A single stream of income is already a challenge to the breadwinners, let alone the rage of this pandemic which killed many opportunities. With little support from the government, this pandemic has affected the vast majority of Nepalese experiencing deep economic and health crises which created a devastating repercussion to big businesses and small-scale shop operations in all areas.

The implemented lockdowns to prevent the spread also mean locking opportunities to earn with shutdown malls, businesses, restaurants, small shops and zero tourists making it almost impossible to stay afloat. With a country that heavily relies on tourism as its source of income, this pandemic created a huge impact on the lives of people living in small communities of Nepal. This gave birth to the idea of Heavenly Himalayan. A community that makes crafts to create opportunities for women of Kathmandu like Pran.

They stand by creating products that are made by warm hands with deep purpose and sharing them with the world through online trading. One of the products they make is the lovely woolen headband crafted with a unique weaving technique that aims to preserve the beautiful culture of Nepalese and pass it to the generations to
come.

THE “SUKUL” TECHNIQUE

The lined woolen headband with the concept of giving a warm toasty comfort to the wearer is crafted with a unique “Sukul” technique which is rooted back to the traditional way of weaving hays. This Sukul technique has been used for many years rooting back to its great heydays. This technique was used in creating straw mats and decorative pieces which became staple hanging adornments and carpets to every home before the rise of synthetic mats.

Back in the day, the quality of woven mats depended on the skills of the weaver and the used material. Spending a great ordeal and using a meticulous weaving technique to put straws together and create patterned mats that you can see in almost every household. It is beautiful, cost-effective, and biodegradable.

These were the golden years of woven straw mats having great demands. But as modernization comes, it was replaced with readily available synthetic mats on the markets to keep up with the contemporary style. The weaving culture has already died in some cities but is still being preserved in small villages particularly rural areas of the country and remains as their source of income.

Nowadays, this unique weaving style has been adapted in creating various products with different materials to keep up with the modern-day demands and still preserving the old but gold ways of weaving.

The Patterned Headbands

These lovely headbands are created by the hands of women of Heavenly Himalayan to give a piece of comfort and warmth during cold weather. It is 100% handcrafted using raw and locally available resources. With the adaptation of the old “Sukul” technique, this headband is knitted with a unique weaving pattern that is both trendy and modish-- it never goes out of style. You can see the patterns of hay-woven mats modified and beautifully lined on these headbands. Made out of wool, this headpiece embodies durability and comfort with an A+ to a product that is both eco-friendly and renewable. It is also a great choice for weather extremes like harsh winter with its good material for insulation keeping your ear and forehead warm without sacrificing style.

“Wearing this headband is like wearing a tradition reminiscent of the old weaving days.”

THE HEAVENLY HIMALAYAN Mission

With the limited ways to earn during these trying times, the Heavenly Himalayan along with Ellie’s team is trying to create a spark of hope in the life of many people. Making an outlet to share these handmade products with the world and creating opportunities for the women in the families. In this way, they’ll have a chance to earn while staying home and looking after their children.

With the advent of technology, it is now easier to share these products globally, as this pandemic has drastically changed the way of marketing even in small nations. Online marketing has paved the way so that these products can cross borders and reach more people and bigger markets. In these times when the world is in a lot of uncertainties, one thing is certain, that these brave women of Kathmandu are unstoppable. They dedicate their time to crafting these stylish headbands and many other products that are culture and tradition-based to support their families and children in their own little creative ways. With the help of the team and the people around the world who will patronize the Heavenly Himalayan products, this, without a doubt will help improve the lives of many. Giving opportunity to alleviate their status and hoping this will create a ripple. So just like the tallest mountain, these women and their families can also stand tall amidst this pandemic and in the years to come.