Celebrating the Entrepreneurial Journey of Claire Weldon: #WorldEntrepreneursDay

Empowering Communities by Upholding Traditions and Generating Income through Craftsmanship.

The Handmade Goods Company stands as a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit, guided by our Managing Director, Claire Weldon. This female-led business not only thrives on crafting bespoke leather goods but also champions the empowerment of young women and girls aspiring to entrepreneurship.

The roots of our journey trace back to the United Nations Decade for Women (1975-85), which sparked the founding of Ambika Ltd in 1986 in London. Claire Weldon, along with two other visionaries, envisioned a venture to empower women in Kenya, Zimbabwe, Chile, and Bangladesh. The focus was on utilizing their traditional handmade skills, including jewelry, baskets, textiles, and the centuries-old Nakshi Kantha—a hand-embroidered quilt native to the Bengal regions of India and Bangladesh.

Recognizing the potential to create more opportunities by concentrating on a limited range of crafts in one region, Ambika Ltd shifted its focus exclusively to Bangladesh in 1988. Over the years, Ambika collaborated closely with local craftspeople, evolving from traditional handicrafts to bespoke sustainable and fair-trade leather goods.

The expansion of the business led to the establishment of two subsidiary companies: The Jeweller’s Box Company and The Museum Leather Company. These subsidiaries allowed for a more focused approach to wholesale jewelry packaging and bespoke leather goods.

In 2001, Ambika Ltd rebranded as Leather Unlimited, reflecting a singular focus on leather goods and a more diverse range of products. Throughout the transformative years, our commitment to fair-trade practices has ensured stability for our craftspeople, enabling them to uplift and educate themselves and their families.

As the business continued to evolve, we embraced e-commerce in 2020 with the launch of The Handmade Goods Co., marking a new chapter in our journey. Today, on #WorldEntrepreneursDay, we celebrate not only the entrepreneurial spirit of Claire Weldon but also the vibrant community of craftspeople in Bangladesh who have been an integral part of our success story.