Why Small Businesses Matter
Shop small, do big things for your community
Why Small Businesses Matter puts a spotlight on the local merchants who donate their time, talent, goods, and services for the betterment of our community. The shop local movement spreads virally as local businesses who are “tagged” have the opportunity to share their story!
You're IT BonnaH Co Fiber Arts!
Three questions with Bonnie Liang and Hannah Choi co-founders of BonnaH Co Fiber Arts.
Why did you start your business?
Bonnie Liang, as an artist and designer, and Hannah Choi, as a teacher and sewist, partnered to create BonnaH Co in July 2019 as a result of our desire to collaborate and merge our passions, as well as to support the handmade movement. We provide fiber arts classes to the community of Fairfield. Fiber Arts include the techniques of sewing, fabric dyeing and painting, embroidery, and weaving, to name a few. We believe that the act of creating something with your hands can be very beneficial in this fast-paced digital world we live in. It's important to slow down and allow yourself to get lost in the process of creativity. We think this is particularly beneficial to children and their development. We currently teach after-school enrichment classes at North Stratfield School, a local neighborhood elementary school in Fairfield. We also host special events, such as moms' nights out and birthday parties. Another reason we started BonnaH Co was to give back to our community, so we always donate a portion of our proceeds to a local school or charity.
Finish this sentence in regard to your business. "I wish I could…"
We wish we could, and we plan to expand to offer classes at other elementary schools and to retirees through local assisted living facilities. Our goal is to inspire people of all ages to examine how art and creativity can have function and purpose in their lives, to teach people how to make something useful and beautiful, and to encourage sustainability and repurposing. In addition, we'd love to offer DIY fiber arts kits to our students and others beyond our local community in an effort to help them further their skills at their own pace and in the comfort of their own space.
What is your best selling product/service?
Being a fairly new business, we don't yet have a "bestseller"; however, we've found success in our class model that breaks down the various techniques and disciplines of fiber arts into shorter segments that don't overwhelm our students. They have the opportunity to explore each technique, and in the end, they walk away with a handmade item that combines all those skills in a cohesive and fun project. At BonnaH Co, we encourage our students to develop and listen to their own personal style, and there's nothing more satisfying than seeing the joy and pride they get when they've completed their projects and are excited to join us again for future classes!
Visit BonnaH Co Fiber Arts online here.
HamletHub thanks Fairfield County Bank for making our Why Small Businesses Matter series possible!