Dandelion the label: Lauren Burst
Please let us know the story behind your brand’s name
Dandelion started as a dream and vision roughly 6 years ago- I was chatting with a friend of mine around the braai. The name Dandelion popped into mind, it was a wish.
What led you to becoming a small business owner, with specifically a handmade product-based business?
What led me to becoming a small business owner was that I had been working in corporate environments for the past 12 years and I just started feeling very stagnant. I've never wanted to climb the corporate ladder and just wanted to make new things every day - I am creative and have always loved making things.
What advice would you give someone at the beginning of their brand journey?
Advice that I could give - It's definitely not easy-Hang In! Never give up, keep pushing, but most importantly, believe in yourself and your brand.
Do you feel hopeful about the future of small handmade brands, and actions do you suggest people can take to better support small handmade brands?
I do feel extremely hopeful about the future of small handmade brands. I feel that people are slowly moving away from commercially, mass produced products. Consumers need to give small brands a chance - even a small purchase makes a small brand do a little happy dance.
Which product does your team
enjoy making the most?
Bathmats are definitely a favorite, we use recycled cotton, which is so lovely to work with and not too hard on the hands. I personally enjoy custom orders-it really allows me to be creative and each item is different
Please introduce us to your team, and the people who help bring your brand to life and support you in that process.
The team is me😊 I do a lot of the work myself and teach others as I go along. We have recently moved to `Montagu from Port Elizabeth, where I had taught my domestic, Monica, how to crochet bath mats- Monica is still working for me in Port Elizabeth and I have started teaching one of the farm worker's wives- Sussie, how to crochet. As we grow, so we'll be able to teach more ladies the skill and provide them an income - that is the bigger plan for Dandelion
