Impact of the Corona Crisis on the Felt Manufacture in Nepal

The corona crisis keeps the whole world in suspense, for many people around the globe it means to make restrictions. Also for us in Switzerland. Christmas markets are canceled and the shopping stores with which we cooperate complain about large losses in sales. A very difficult situation for us. On the one hand we would like to give orders to Nepal to enable them to work, on the other hand our sales channels are limited to the internet.

We stay tuned and it goes on!

Nevertheless, we decide already in June that we will place an order. However, months will pass before the delivery reaches us in Switzerland. The lockdown in Nepal has dragged on into the summer, with rigorous curfews in some places.

Finally, the delivery was ready a month ago, but then it turned out to be enormously difficult to send it by plane. Only every few days a cargo plane leaves Kathmandu and the capacity is in hot demand. But good things come to those who wait, finally the new felt things have arrived. For us, it feels like Christmas and a birthday together. Impatiently we tear open the boxes. The finger puppets that look at us have become insanely funny and cute. I fall right in love with the little piggy, it reminds me of the “bedtime story” from the TV, Olivia. Andreas is enraptured by the little dachshund with his loyal puppy dog eyes. A name is quickly found: “Fridolin” fits.

In Nepali culture, there is no such thing as “no.” You can ask as much as you want if everything is okay? You don’t hear any other answer than “YES”. But if you actually hear a “NO”, then you know, now it is really serious.

Madhav, the manager of the felt factory, then asks us quite directly for help. He has not received another order in 6 months and many of the buyers have fallen behind on payments or have gone into hiding. 75 women are at risk of losing their jobs. Together we have now worked out a plan to generate more work on the one hand (Easter bunnies are already being felted ;-)) but also with direct monetary help.

Now we hope, as I think everyone does, that everything will soon return to normal and we will soon be able to sell at the Christmas markets again.

Do you want to support Nepal? Then tell everyone about our great online store! Thank you on behalf of the whole team in Nepal and Switzerland.