Products
A lovingly produced range of products has evolved over the years and continues to do so. Currently, items are sold at specific Samunnat fund-raising events, individual galleries and Fair Trade shops in Australia and the US or to buyers in Kathmandu. We hope some items will be available online in 2012. A list of galleries currently stocking our products is presented at the bottom of this page. Please refer to our Product and Pricing Policy as well.We are located 540 km east of Kathmandu and are committed, wherever possible, to using locally obtained materials. We are thrilled that some of our silver findings are purchased locally (see our silversmith Suraj standing in this photo) or in Kathmandu from Fozia Creative Centre where Abdul Karim really looks after us!
Our polymer products
The ladies of Samunnat are the pioneers of polymer art in Nepal. And, as far as we know, we are the only Nepalis making jewellery with polymer clay to earn our income. It is through the sale of our polymer products that we receive the fair and regular wages that allow many of us to leave our vulnerable situations. We have formed our own microfinance co-operative with other ladies in the area and manage this ourselves. Samunnat Nepal never intended to be an employing body. It is the intention of the Board that the artists will independently manage their own polymer jewellwery cooperative business as soon as they are able. Please refer to our Product and Pricing Policy for more information in this regard.
We order our clay from Polymer Clay Express in the US. (We did try to source it locally, believe us). Rob at PCE has been very helpful and even though the clay takes a long while, most arrives reasonably intact. (It’s always somewhat stressful because of issues at the Nepali end.)
Please read on for a detailed description of our polymer work and other items:
Bahini Necklaces
T
he Bahini Necklaces (pronounced bye-knee and meaning “little sister”) were one of our original products. They are inspired by the colour and vivacity of women in Nepal. No two necklaces are exactly the same. While the sisters prefer to be able to look out and see what is going on, most beads are reversible. You get two necklaces for the price of one! Each bahini is handmade with polymer clay using the millefiore technique. After being cured, each bead is painstakingly hand polished using a range of fine grit polishing papers and finished with a muslin brush. This produces the gorgeous mirror like shine that enhances the detail of each bead. No glosses or glazes are used. The beads are strung on a single strand of black or coordinated seed beads and finished with pure silver findings. The whole process is a labour of love and a way that we can regain dignity, independence and safe lives. Choose from ten colours:
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- Coral-the colour of a popular precious Tibetan stone
- Laliguras-a celebration of Nepal’s national flower, the rhododendron.
- Samundra (ocean)-a lovely turquoise colour
- Black-a dramatic Black and White combination
- Shrawan-named after the month where many women wear green saris to celebrate the green after the monsoon.
- Cappacino-a limited edition of coffee colours
- Ultraviolet-inspired by yet another gorgeous precious stone
- Baigini-a magenta and violet colour like Nepali eggplants
- Winter sky-the clear blues of the winter skies
- Akaase-light blues of summer skies
- Marigold-the colours in the flowers in the necklaces worn at festivals
Sari beads
Sari beads are also inspired by our environment. The ladies have painstakingly hand-decorated each bead in filigree designs reminiscent of the hand tattoo designs painted with henna. They come in light, bright summery colours in a variety of combinations and are carefully matched with strands of coordinating seed beads. Please contact us for details of the colours available.
Spice Jewellery
Our Spice malas (necklaces) and earrings
contain real spices! The spices are carefully combined to create a range of natural and attractive colours which we use to make necklaces in four different lengths with coordinating earrings. We have a choker length, short, medium and long lengths.
The stone like and elegant Gopya (our very secret recipe) is in pearl and black tones; then we have the earthy tones of mixed spice; the energetic colours of khursani (red chili) and we are just introducing two more flavours…coffee and besar.
Spice up your lives with these lovely designs and help us to live independently.
Hot Chili Necklaces
Not to be confused with our Spice malas (necklaces), our Hot Chili range comes in
necklaces of two lengths with coordinating earrings.
Choose from the fiery (piro-very hot), round Nepali chilis called akkabari or the more traditional long chili in red, green or an eye-popping mix of the two. In the latter we have 
choker or long versions.
Add spice to your life without the sneezing by wearing these lovely designs and help us to live independently.
Funky Jewellery
Our Funky Range uses bold and striking black and white designs hand made into clay canes, cut and applied to skilfully blended backgrounds in our rainbow colours. We have three colour ranges: Tropical (emerald, ultramarine, violet and corals), Makamalle (blues, turquoises and purples) and Phulmaya (turquoises, blues and peach tones).
Like all our beads, each funky bead is hand-crafted using canes that we have made our selves and then assembled with silver findings. Necklaces come in our popular CHUNKY FUNKY style 
or in a single strand with funky beads separated by black seed beads. This available as short with a silver clasp or long with no clasp. We have coordinating earrings and bracelets.
Black and White Jewellery (Seto/ Kalo)
We are very proud of our latest style: Black and White beads of either large or small size strung with black pote (seed) beads and matched with a durable polymer clasp that coordinates beautifully with the beads. And of course, 
we have coordinating earrings in eaither large or small sizes.
Multi-tube necklaces from our Didi (big sister) range
We have limited stock of our summery, light multi stranded necklaces that coordinate with tube beads from our DIDI range. Several of these are made as we finish making the loose didi beads sold by Heather Richmond at 
Over the Rainbow. Once the season’s colours finish, that’s it….bhayo…making these collector’s items really!
We only sell one style of loose bead and this is the Limited Edition Didi beads which Heather sells to jewellwery makers who appreicate the unique nature of the beads and the time involed in their production. A new colour range is developed each season and
a limited number of beads made as didis (with faces), dotty didis, flower didis and range of coordinating tube and small beads. These are only available through Heather.
Nativity Sets
Each year, we make a limited number of nativity sets and this are snapped up almost immediately. At the moment, these are only available through volunteers selling them in their home countries. Please contact us directly to enquire about ordering a nativity set for 2012. Please note, we can only produce limited numbers as the sets can only be made by our most experienced artists and take many many days to make. Our nativity scenes are VERY Nepali! Joseph wears a daura surwhal and topi and carries a Khukuri knife to protect his little family. Mary wears a sari, sindur and a tikka and the red pote beads that married women wear in Nepal. Our shepherd wears the rough woollen hooded cloak worn by goat-herds here and the kings are suitably sub-contintental. And named after three Nepali kings!
One of a Kind
The ladies are producing more and more one of a kind pieces-unique pieces of art that reflect their personalities, cultural influences and colour preferences. These are usually available at fund raisers although we are looking to have some of these wonderful pieces of work available on line. They are very proud of these pieces which are signed and usually snaffled up very fast!
Using traditional Nepali dhaka woven fabric, the ladies make very stylish aprons, potholders and oven mitts in earthy colours. Patterns and designs vary but the colours are consistent. There are two designs in the aprons-those made totally of dhaka, and those in hard wearing black or maroon cotton with dhaka trim. The mitts and potholders coordinate with the dhaka.
The fabric is washable and the mitts and potholders very heat resistant. You can’t help but be a sensational cook wearing one of these. Each set includes a recipe for dal bhat which is every Nepali’s favourite meal!
Jewellery purses/coin purses
The ladies of Sammunat make two styles of jewellery or coin purses. The first is a small round design made in dhaka, the traditional woven fabric, combined with cotton and two strong drawstrings. This is the style of the thauli coin purses used by women from the hill regions of Nepal. They tuck their thauli coin purses away into the folds of their voluminous waistbands. You will probably use yours differently! Each of our nativity sets comes in its own thauli purse.
The second jewellery purse is made from brocades and is a square shape. Both purses are perfect for any jewellery you may purchase from our range.
We have limited stock of the following discontinued items:
Stranded pote beads
We have two main ranges in our jewellery. The first is a range of simply elegant stranded beads made from pote (pronounced poh-te) beads. These traditional Nepali wedding beads are combined with silver findings that are made locally to our design.
The beads are worn by all married women in Nepal, traditionally in red or green but available in a rainbow selection of colours, and come usually from Czechoslovakia. The designs include necklace, bracelet and earrings.
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Scarves
These were the first items that the ladies of Samunnat sold internationally. The scarves are a version of the dupatta worn by ladies with their kurta surwals. The shorter version (approx 150 cm) caters to more restrained Western tastes.
The scarves were made from chiffon, hemmed and then fringed by hand with thousands of tiny pote beads. The fringe is approximately 6 cm long and fabric is available as plain or patterned. Colours and styles change seasonally which means we can’t guarantee consistncy of colour or design. Scarves are best purchased “live” from our volunteer sales people internationally! It is becoming more difficult to source good quality fabric that is suitable for scarves although we are still making some using sari fabric. Please contact us directly if you would like to enquire about the scarves.
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Galleries stocking Samunnat Products
The following galleries have a small range of Samunnat products:
Flourish Arts at Birchgrove, NSW (AUSTRALIA)
Art Vault, Mildura, VICTORIA (AUSTRALIA)