It was in 2013 that, to give our work a professional touch, we wrote to Encarni to ask for a quote. She made custom labels for crafts completely by hand: exactly what we needed so that all Lulú garments and accessories would carry our mark. We clicked right away, and to this day, she is not only still our supplier, but has become much more than that.
Many of you have asked us about the labels we use, and taking both things into account—your curiosity and Encarni’s story—we decided it was time to publish this post. If you’d like to take a look at what she makes before learning her story, you can visit her at Tuetiqueta.es. There’s plenty to choose from!
Encarni’s story and her
custom craft labels
As often happens, Encarni ended up making labels by chance. Or rather than by chance, perhaps you could say it was because of her “generosity”—that’s what happens when you’re a thoughtful person. You see, she created her first labels as a surprise gift for a friend.
But better yet, let her tell you about it:
I was unemployed and started sewing personalized beach bags with a friend who was in the same situation. She also sewed other little things, and one day she told me she’d like to put labels on them, as if they were a brand, using the name she used on Facebook. She found a website in Germany that offered the service, but shipping was extremely expensive. That’s when I got the idea of surprising her.
I started researching online so I could make them myself, and I also got excited about making her some stickers and cards. I’ll never forget the look on her face when I gave them to her. She was delighted! And of course, I was very happy too. Then she said to me: “Hey, you’re really good at this. Why don’t you make more and sell them?”
The first thing that came to mind was, “But who’s going to buy this?” Even so, I trusted her, took her advice, and opened a Facebook page: Encarni, Craft Labels. There I uploaded photos of the labels and other items I had created for her and for myself.
(Encarni also sent us a photo of those first labels, which were the beginning of everything. These are the ones responsible).
keep climbing
Almost without realizing it, Encarni’s real entrepreneurial adventure had begun. But it wasn’t going to be easy:
These first versions were very homemade: I made them with fabric and transfer paper, and I cut the cards by hand, one at a time, with scissors… Ufff! You can’t imagine how much time and work that took… Every time I think about it…
And after surprising my friend, I was the one who got a surprise when people started asking me about the labels through Facebook. And when I received my first order… I was so incredibly excited! As if by magic, the idea began to grow, word of mouth started to work, and new orders slowly began to arrive. At first it was occasional, a little extra money while I was getting by on unemployment benefits.
Then Aarón was born, my second child, and although I barely had any time, I kept the business going as best I could, keeping it alive. But time passed and, shortly after my unemployment benefits ran out, I was told that Aarón had autism spectrum disorder…
Sometimes it seems as if everything is falling apart, doesn’t it?
The therapies took up a lot of our time, which ruined my hopes of finding a job compatible with this hectic life. But on the other hand, they were expensive, and I had to find a way to pay for them. The time had come to be brave and take a step forward, even if it meant risking the little I had. So, although I was scared to death, I did it: I invested in machinery to produce more and better labels from home.
The machines allowed me to create new models of custom craft labels and more cards and… the business started to get back on its feet! The miracle happened largely thanks to my customers, whom I’m immensely grateful to. They recommended me to other artisans, including Laura (Lulú Ferris), and without their help, the mountain would have been far too steep to climb alone.
I learned to truly value my customers: most of them are “workplace survivors” like me.
This business of being a mother and entrepreneur sounds very familiar to us. How many times have we thought Laura must have a clone to be able to take care of the shop, her three children (who are each more “delicious” than the last), and herself? This is how Encarni manages it:
Sometimes I laugh at myself when I’m bathing my children or making dinner while also answering customers on my phone, sending quotes, or responding to questions. I think, “Oh my goodness, if they could see me!” And the truth is that working from home, being a mother, and keeping this little business going… it’s chaos, yes, but a wonderful kind of chaos. Working and taking care of my son at the same time, without having to explain all my absences to a boss, is what saves me. There are days when I go to bed at two in the morning and get up early to carry on and, of course, it can be exhausting, but it’s worth it and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
When a customer writes to me, satisfied and happy with the order she has just received, all that satisfaction and happiness comes back to me multiplied. Without a doubt, the best thing this business has given me is the chance to do what I truly love, design, and to meet and work with other fascinating women.
When you feel good where you are,
you don’t want to go anywhere else
That’s what happened to us with Encarni. Working with her is a delight: she’s always kind, in a good mood, ready to help, and has a kind word on her lips. That’s the kind of person we like—people who radiate positivity and bring so much care and dedication to everything they do that it shows in the results. That’s why we’ve been working with her for four years now and, if you also want labels for your creations, we wholeheartedly believe you should work with her.
Because people like that deserve good things to happen to them.
You’ll find her—and her custom craft labels—on her website or on her Facebook page, ready to give your creations a magical, professional touch. We hope you love her work and, above all, that her story inspires you.