How did I become an entrepreneur and owner of a clothing brand?

I thought I would come and tell the story of how I founded a Finnish clothing brand that combines hand-dyed clothes, high-quality design and a love of handicrafts. I am Aaminah Hietala, and I dreamed of entrepreneurship and my own clothing brand since I was young . I had two interests: art and clothing design. However, I ended up studying the clothing industry from these two options. Sewing and crafts have been a part of me since childhood. At home, my mother sewed all the clothes for me and my older sister, even starting with outerwear in the 90s. That's how I became familiar with sewing and my interest in clothes and dressing has always been a part of me. I love high-quality clothes, from which you can feel that the material is of high quality and that it is skillfully made. Dressing is so much more than just clothing. It allows you to express yourself and bring out your own personality.

Education and trauma

My educational background in this field is that I have studied to be a dressmaker and a master dressmaker's degree. When I was studying the clothing industry, my teacher at the time was really mean to me and often even made me cry. It was direct teasing and mean treatment towards me, which other students noticed. That's why I didn't finish my master dressmaker's degree – it was one screen away from graduating. It left me traumatized and I didn't sew for years after that. I sold all my sewing machines and supplies and forgot about the whole industry. After that, I studied marketing and visual design.

Working life and corona

I was employed for several years and at home with the children. Until the corona virus came and I was laid off and eventually fired from my current job. And I started thinking again about what I really wanted to do for a living? I was 35 years old and felt like it was time to do what I love and what I'm good at. I decided that if I didn't make my dream come true now, I would never do it. And then I'll die old when I didn't even try. I wouldn't know if I succeeded or not. I felt like it was a sign that I lost my previous job, because I don't think I would have had the courage to fire myself and start my own business. It was 2021 when I started seriously planning my own business and clothing brand.

Starting a business - It all started with the name

The name Hanimaa also has a story behind it. At my previous job, an IT support person had come up with a password for a program for me. And that password was Hanimaa. At first I didn't understand where the name came from. But later I realized that it was my own name spelled wrong.

It stuck in my mind for years. Then when it came time to start my own company, this name came to mind and it immediately felt like the right name for my own clothing brand. It's easy to say and remember and it looked nice written. And especially when I found a nice font that I used for the Hanimaa logo. And hey Hanimaa sounds like a wonderful country to live in!

It took me a year to mentally prepare myself to start my own business. And to trust my own skills because of past traumas. During that time, I also brainstormed different ideas about what kind of clothes I would design and for whom. What would set me apart from others? Who is my target audience? And at the same time, I started building an online store. It was May 2nd, 2022, when I founded Hanimaa. It's been almost 3 years!

So what sets Hanimaa apart from other domestic clothing brands?

I got the idea to try dyeing clothes. I researched many different dyeing techniques and tried to find a technique that would suit my own style. So I have taught myself how to dye fabrics. I tend to learn things myself if I don't know something yet. I browsed the internet for all possible information and lessons. I watched hundreds of Youtube videos on the subject. I read a lot of books. Finding suitable dyes was also its own thing. I wanted to create clothes with dyeing that would stand out from the crowd. Through dyeing, I was also able to bring my other passion, art, into my work.

"I wanted to design Finnish designer clothes that are simple but striking - hand-dyed and made from high-quality materials. The colors and patterns bring the clothes to life. The garment is like a blank canvas until it goes into the dyeing process."

Strong vision and intuition

I had a really strong feeling from the beginning that this would be successful. Many people start a business by trying to sell their products on social media or introducing them to acquaintances, which leads to the realization that there would be more demand. I myself went in the opposite direction to build a brand. I went from nothing to the unknown. I hadn't followed Finnish or foreign clothing brands for years. I had lived in complete ignorance. I didn't follow fashion. I didn't use social media. All the ideas came from my own head and I took the risk of building my own brand. I still don't like using social media, but I also know that without it, Hanimaa wouldn't exist.

“The journey has been mentally and physically tough, and I won’t lie – this isn’t easy. But the sense of accomplishment, freedom, and unlimited use of creativity make it all worth it. And most of all: I built all of this myself!”

 

"I am grateful to be able to do this work. Hanimaa is not just a clothing brand, but a Finnish clothing brand that combines craftsmanship, art and dyed design."

I'm glad you made it this far in reading my story ♥️

With love - Aaminah

Discover Hanimaa's hand-dyed clothes here:

https://hanimaa.fi/collections/mekot