Macrame allows you to add a natural, organic point of interest to your home wherever it is placed.
Whether it be a hallway, lounge, bathroom or bedroom – you name it, and the decorative piece will warm up any space and give it a textural quality.
But homeowners shouldn’t stop there, for plant cuttings also have many aesthetically pleasing benefits as well, something that Alice Hasselgren would stand by.
Originally from Sweden, Alice relocated to the Granite City several years ago to study at Aberdeen University.
She is currently a full-time fourth-year psychology major – due to graduate in June this year – but that has not stopped her from running a successful business, which involves the entrepreneur selling plant cuttings and handmade macrame crafts.
“Prior to starting EquiKnotz, I worked in the hotel and restaurant industries, but have always had a passion for handmade items and being creative,” Alice said.
“I believe it was April 2020 that my business was launched. I had been doing macrame for a little while and thought I could sell them online – it was and continues to be a success.”
Alice currently operates from her flat in Aberdeen, where she orders supplies and prepares and packages orders.
Although it takes a lot of time, the crafter says she “thoroughly enjoys” every bit of the process and focuses not only on the quality of the products themselves, but also on the packaging.
She added: “Everything is made to order. Nothing is made in advance since customers can pick the colour for the majority of my items – which includes keychains, coasters, wall bunting and more.
“When it comes to making my macrame, I start off with picking the colour the customer has selected and get to work creating the item.
“Depending on what the item is exactly, the process can take all from 10 minutes for a keychain to 30-40 minutes for coasters and plant hangers.
“After that, I package it up nicely in whaline paper – at the moment I’m using black since I think that looks very sleek and nice – add a sticker and then print off the postage label.
“Once all orders are done I get it posted, and I have decided to only post on Mondays and Wednesdays to reduce the number of trips I make to the post office.
“For my plants, I start by writing down labels for the plant cuttings in each box and get that organised, then I take the cuttings according to the labels. These cuttings are placed on sphagnum moss and the roots are wrapped in cling film.
“Each cutting is then individually wrapped in bubble wrap to keep them safe in transit, which I secure with the plant label.
“These are then also wrapped in whaline paper along with propagation instructions and a business card, before being given a postage label and posted.
“In terms of plant cuttings, from taking cuttings, preparing and packaging, each order takes roughly 20-40 minutes depending on the number of cuttings.”
Pinterest has proved one of the main sources of inspiration for EquiKnotz’s products, a website that Alice has always loved.
“Pinterest is where I get the most inspiration for the different kinds of knots I create,” she said.
“For the plant cuttings, there has been a high demand for plants during this pandemic, so I decided to offer various sizes of mystery boxes so each customer could find the number of cuttings they want.
“I also occasionally offer specific plant cuttings to limited availability.
“My macrame heart-shaped coasters are also very popular too and often bought in conjunction with plant cuttings.”
The creative has struggled at points to establish her niche and find ways to grow the EquiKnotz brand during the pandemic, but she continues to maintain a positive outlook. Alice even aspires to open her very own store one day.
She said: “To begin with, it was challenging launching the business.
“It is difficult to find your niche, especially as your own business it is hard to advertise without spending a lot of money since you need a following before being able to increase your sales.
“However, once I got it rolling and figured out my marketing strategies via social media, it has been going really well and all the hard work at the beginning has started to pay off, especially receiving lovely reviews and feedback on the packaging and pictures of the plants being propagated.
“I hope to one day be able to open up my own wee shop where I can sell my macrame items and plants – once I have reached a certain sales number.
“I would also like to improve my packaging in a way to make it more eco-friendly. Every day I am figuring out ways in which I can make a better impact on the environment with my packaging.
“During the summer, EquiKnotz will be taking a break since I will be returning to Sweden. However, I will be working on new designs in terms of macrame, growing my plant collection, and once I return I will be having a newly stocked online shop.
“I am also hoping to be able to branch out into painted plant pots. My best friend is an amazing painter and I would love for her to paint some pots and give her a platform.
“For anyone looking to support local, I would urge them to when they can. A lot of energy and care is placed into the whole process for us in order to make the customer happy.
“Buying from a small business like myself literally makes my day and shows that what I am doing is worth it.”
For more information or to place an order, visit EquiKnotz on Etsy.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.
