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ABOUT US
Two amazing women (take our word for it) from across the globe connected and came up with the concept of Rivaz. We founded RivazForZen with two goals, a means for economic betterment for the artists that create our products and sharing diverse stories. The artists we work with are craftsmen/women who create beautiful products. We help them reach the world.
We believe that best ways to share a culture is through celebrations so we will try to create boxes for each major Indian and American holiday like Diwali and Christmas. Because our products are handmade we also specialize in personalized handmade favors that are created just for your event or company. And lastly in hopes of introducing the world to some of the unique art styles we also offer artist led classes.
Rivaz For Zen is not only the best place to get products to enhance your celebrations, we are also a place where you can feel a little Zen about doing it, so go ahead get some Zen through shopping
A NOTE FROM THE FOUNDERS
Komal, California, US
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Handmade has become nonexistent in our daily lives. There is definitely something comforting about that consistency provided by the machines, but I also really miss the days when each town had its own uniqueness. I spent the first decade of my life in India until I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, where I still reside.
My favorite memories of traveling in India were how each town, village and even state had its own character. From the little mom and pop shops that lined the streets in the bazaar, the sweets vendors that had their own recipes in each town, and the cutest little toys that were just unique to where you were. I loved the whole system, each place you went to felt like a new and unique place to explore. This system also helped distribute commerce wealth within the town slightly more fairly, since there were many small businesses within each town that were part of the ecosystem.
Our company Rivaz for Zen, believes handmade means; one of a kind, beautiful, and zestful. Each artist puts their own touch, the products are alive and are supporting individual artists directly. Our team works with the artist and brings curated products to the consumers. This means each piece you buy from RivazforZen.com has a story, history and definitely some zen. RivazForZen.com is one of the only places where you can buy unique handmade gifts and customized products that support the artists directly.
I will admit I love my Taco Bell more than most and I am thankful it exists in each town around the corner but I still miss the feeling of finding something unexpected in each new town. I crave the travels of my childhood where each new town felt like an adventure for all the senses. With RivazForZen we hope to recreate that childhood experience and share that with the world.
A NOTE FROM THE FOUNDERS
Munawira, Mumbai, India
Growing up in India, the presence of handcrafted crafts was available all around us. The local markets and fairs saw hundreds of artists selling their handmade products to thousands of visitors from the neighboring cities. The artists represented artforms from not just different parts of India, but also lost and rare artforms from around the world. Every product reflected a part of the region’s history, culture, and also the artist’s unique skill and style.
The few years I spent living in the US, I could see a lot of stores and brands selling Indian art and craft. But I always felt they lacked authenticity and did not represent the local artisans and their skills rooted in different regions of India.
A large population of artisans in India has spent their lives learning and perfecting their craft. These skills and crafts represent the extensive culture and tradition of different corners of not just India but also different parts of the world. Without the support needed to turn their artform into a thriving business, the artisans abandon these crafts in search of a stable livelihood.
The craftsmanship that is usually passed down from generation to generation, gets lost over the years since the art form is not able to bring financial stability.
At RivazForZen, we hope to give these artists a worldwide audience and connect our customers with authentic craft created by artisans across the world.