For over 30 years, dZi Handmade has worked directly with  Tibetan, Indian and Nepalese artisans to create, import and market designs that celebrate the beauty of the natural world and the amazing culture of that region. 

   Walking into the Kathmandu production center you are immediately greeted by a cheerful "Namaste."    Enter any of the production halls and you'll be greeted by a chorus of the same as dozens of ladies press wool felt into a variety of shapes. Others stitch, needle and applique to finish hundreds of different styles of decorative items for export. 

   Sheep's wool is an amazingly adaptable fiber. It can be dyed any color and, when hand felted using warm, soapy water, it can be molded into any shape, or cut and sewn together. Because the felting and most of the stitching process is all done by hand with natural materials that can be sustainably harvested, hand felted products have a relatively soft impact on the environment. Take a look. . .

Do Birds Really Go Inside? YES! Small birds such as wrens, nuthatches and chickadees use them as a safe place to nest and rest.  Check out this video but watch quickly. It's only 11 seconds long!

 

Wren in Wild Woolie Birdhouse

How Long Will It Last Outside? If hung in a protected outdoor area, such as under a porch roof, the birdhouses will last for years and years. If placed in direct sun, colors will begin to gently fade over 2-3 months, but they will retain their shape for more than a year in fully exposed weather. 

 

What About Rain or Snow? Since they are made of water repellent sheep's wool, moisture from rain or snow will mostly wick off of the felt and around the nest. Once the rain stops, the birdhouse will air-dry since wool naturally breathes. Also, wool is thermal; cool in summer and warm in winter!

 

How Do I Clean It Out? It's easy to remove old twigs and nesting materials from the handy clean-out hole in the base or through the entry hole.

Hand-felted Planters are made to be 

used either with real "roots-in-dirt" or faux plants. The planters are sized for 4" diameter pots. Water will wick through the natural wool fibers. If using the planter inside, be sure to place a dish inside or underneath the planter. Since wool "breaths," when it's wet it will dry out naturally over time.

    The founding mission of dZi was to increase economic opportunity for Tibetan artisans in India by selling their products to American consumers and to educate customers about the culture of Tibet.  While the business was initially named the 'Tibetan Handcraft Import Company,' the name was later changed to 'dZi'. 'dZi' is the Tibetan word for the famous Tibetan "eye-beads" which are considered a powerful charm and vessel of great secrets to be revealed in the future. 

   In 1994, dZi helped launch the Fair Trade Federation (FTF) trade association. At the time, FTF was just a handful of companies and organizations. Today the FTF has over 200 members.

 

   In April of 2015 a series of massive earthquakes shook central Nepal, affecting millions of people as well as all of dZi's producer partners. dZi responded by fundraising with its customers and friends, but it was mainly through the resilience and commitment of the Nepalese people that they were able to maintain their business operations and continue forward.

   Now during the pandemic, dZI has maintained contact with their artisan partners. Even though everyone has been ordered to stay home, one bright spot is that the air in Kathmandu is now unusually clear and everyone can see the Himalayas again! While at home artisans are growing their own food and doing some of the hand finishing work on products.

                                                         Images courtesy of dZi Handmade