Creating a business out of nylons & crystal beads

Mazoun Al ghailani -

It’s a tedious technical process, one that she enjoys doing. Although the holes on each shiny crystal beads are small, she masterfully fit nylon threads on them with a rhythm that yields a pattern that many women end up loving.

Handled carefully and delicately, the designs are all in the artist and makers head and while they are used for practical purposes, the outcome is also often a work of art.

Zainab al Ghailani has a degree in Chemical Engineering which she earned from Sultan Qaboos University. But her university life, she felt, was a lifetime ago and now, a mother of three, she has found a new passion for making handicrafts the basics of which she learned from her handicrafts lessons in high school.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my teacher, teacher Khawla, who taught me about the handicraft industry and how to make them,” Zainab said.

Zainab is a social media entrepreneur. While production is slow because she only works on them on her spare time, whatever she posts online always makes the customers come running.

Her enterprise is small and does not have a physical office but this does not stop her from pursuing her interest and from her home in Sur, she managed to gain quite an online following.

Zainab shared that when she started, she was only trying to finish a hand-made vase re-learning the things she picked up from school a long time ago.

Challenged by the complexities of how to form patterns and shapes, she ventured online researching on techniques and methodologies that widened her knowledge regarding crystal beads handicrafts.

While most of the materials are easily sourced in Oman, it’s the manual work that is time-consuming. She shared that the key to a good crystal beads craft relies on the transparent nylon thread that connects all of the crystals.

From one tiny crystal beads and a nylon thread, she can wield it to become a key medal, different shapes like heart or squares and circles and even a full graduation hat.

“For most of my work, I use the quad stitch technique. The time dedicated to making the product depends on size or length like for instance, some medals take two hours and some can take days or weeks to complete,” she said.

Using the same foundation techniques, Zainab has now ventured into making even grander designs. In the last few months, she’s created paper tissue box covers, bags, mobile phone wallets among others all made out of crystal beads.

Zainab is the first to admit that being an independent producer of handicrafts can be challenging.

“I faced a lot of difficulties when I was pursuing this road of manual work but my advise to everyone is to stick to their dreams and not to pay attention to frustrations,” she said.

“My family had a big role in encouraging me from the start and to this day, their support on me continues,” she added.

She also shared that, “Oman embraces many creative people who are trying to find a niche for themselves and as a result create an opportunity so they can stand out. With the Sultanate having an old history of traditional crafts, the support and being placed on the spotlight is necessary for some traditions and new initiatives to grow.”

Zainab lauded the efforts being made by the Public Authority for Craft Industries and Omani Women’s Associations for it is through them that she saw the encouragement of the youth to continue some industries.

Not just products, Zainab considers what she makes as art. and it is an art that serves a purpose and function on a practical level.

Now a self-assured woman, she said that her work has trained her to become more patient and even be more precise.

She also shared that she’s mastered the skill of using mistakes to become an advantage.

“With what I am doing, art has taught me that there is a creative way of being triumphant over a mistake. Sometimes I inadvertently increase or decrease stitches, an innovation to what I originally intended,” she said.

Zainab plans to create an exhibition for her work and set up courses for girls to teach this craft. She hopes to add her own logo to each product she makes and eventually start her own brand.