Hello 2023! Hello Team Baabuk

We're approaching a special milestone at Baabuk this year, and our success would not have been possible without our team members and partners around the world. As we kick off this new year, we'd like to highlight these incredible people and share their views and stories. 

 

DAN — Cofounder @Switzerland

1. What would you do if you could fix the world with wool?

I would like to inspire people to take more often their bag (wool or any other durable material ;-) while shopping and refusing disposable packaging of any kind (paper, plastic, etc).

2. What has been your most memorable moment with Baabuk?

Ten years seem to be like an entire life, starting with birth giving . 

Back in Feb 2013, I was in the tradeshow in Germany with 7 pairs of Baabuk and no idea how to produce the shoes, neither for how much to sell them. I remember the Japanese group of buyers who placed the first order. Their director was extremely kind and he figured out that he placed the first order for Baabuk. Years later, that director was the president of a huge international company. 

For the entire year 2013, we had to produce 1000 pairs in six months. Back then, we did not have any factory where to produce the shoes. We lived in Indonesia. We had to build an entire production line in no time. But we did it. We packed the shoes in our garage in Jakarta and shipped all the shoes to my parents home in Germany. 

In 2015, we moved the machines to Nepal where we met extremely talented people who had the knowhow of felting. 2015 was also the year where Nepal was hit by a huge earthquake. That was a difficult time to handle. 

There are still many anecdotes to tell. But the most valuable thing within the last 10 years is that with most of the people we started working with, we still work together today. And that’s a message of trust and confidence. For that I am the proudest of. 

3. What are your hopes for 2023?

My hope is that we will continue the journey of creating inspiring stories and making responsible products for others to follow. 

GALINA — Cofounder @Switzerland

1. What would you do if you could fix the world with wool?

Throw a ball of wool yarn into the world, so people can catch it and pass further. I hope this way we can focus on what binds rather than what makes us different. 

2. What has been your most memorable moment with Baabuk?

Baabuk has been an important part of my life for 10 years now. There were countless memorable events throughout this journey. Some were starting in the shadow and making you think, some falling on you as thunder. Baabuk made me grow, taught me to see, listen and believe in who I am. Looking back, I am grateful for getting to know and working with people who are part of Baabuk. I always find good advice, helping hand or challenging questions. Thinking about one particular important moment for me - the announcement of the Ukraine war when we transformed our office into a collection point and all the team members were acting as one to help.

3. What are your hopes for 2023?

Find new creative ways to answer all our questions and hopes

CHAD — Customer Support @Philippines

1. What would you do if you could fix the world with wool?

I believe that wool represents comfort and warmth. If the world is no longer a comfortable world to live in, then I would use wool to fix it. 

2. What has been your most memorable moment with Baabuk?

I’ve been with Baabuk for 4 years and the most memorable for me was recording my first Feliz Navidad Christmas Video. That was 2019 if I remember correctly. Everyone was asked to send their videos/entries for the song, and I was under the impression that each one of us would do the whole song separately. When the video came out, everybody just had small clips of themselves that completed the song. Me on the other hand, sang the whole Feliz Navidad with my guitar at the end of the video. I still feel a little embarrassed when I think about it – but nonetheless, it was great and fun!

3. What are your hopes for 2023?

More $ales!! Seriously though, I hope that more people will be inspired by Baabuk.

ALEX — Digital @USA

1. What would you do if you could fix the world with wool?

Replace synthetics with natural (and ethically sourced) wool fibers wherever possible. Nature gives us most of what we need, and it's time we get back to acknowledging and respecting that fact. 

2. What has been your most memorable moment with Baabuk?

My most memorable Baabuk moments have nothing to do with wool, footwear, or marketing. There's a competition for the "top" memory here, as the spontaneous adventures that happen on each of my visits to Switzerland are nearly equally as memorable - from making a fire-heated hot tub at 4am, to hiking and camping in a hut in the alps, to dangling off a mountain along a via ferrata trail. But I think the most memorable was Dan and I building a geodome for his forest of tomatoes. We started building less than 24 hours before my flight home and spent nearly all night in a workshop measuring, cutting, sanding, and assembling the first pieces of this walk-in geodome. Luckily, I made it to the airport just in time for my flight. The geodome has become a bit of Baabuk lore since then, and it was such a unique and totally unexpected end to a trip that I expected to be mostly about "work".

3. What are your hopes for 2023?

I'm hoping for a more united & calm year. We've all gone through tumultuous times over the past few years - globally and for many of us, personally. I think we could benefit from a year of gradual calmness and a more united community. And hopefully Baabuk can be a small part of this, uniting more closely with our community of suppliers, artisans, partners, and customers to share in positive vibes around the world.

JULIEN — Retailer @Switzerland

1. What would you do if you could fix the world with wool?

A huge soft sheep for all those who suffer in the world and who need comfort!

2. What has been your most memorable moment with Baabuk?

The day I was on my knees on the floor to pick up a pair of Sky Woolers in size 47, I looked up and saw 12 pairs of Baabuk coming over my head...

3. What are your hopes for 2023?

An avalanche of new colors at Baabuk! To make the world more beautiful and colorful!

ANNA — Communications @France

1. What would you do if you could fix the world with wool?

No more acrylics or cotton! Wool is the best! Wool shoes, wool tshirts, wool coats... its fabric barely needs laundry and if we can take care of our sheep friends and their wool with love, then we can help make the fashion industry a better one. 

2. What has been your most memorable moment with Baabuk?

My most memorable moment in the last 4 years I have worked with Baabuk is when at the outset of Covid19 I watched Galina and Dan set up a makeshift warehouse in their confinement home so we could carry on shipping orders alhough our logistical partner Foundation BVA had to close.

3. What are your hopes for 2023?

I hope for an accelerated pace to our response to the climate crisis and that Baabuk will be part of this shift.

SAPANA — Production @Nepal

1. What would you do if you could fix the world with wool?

People are really hooked to genuine leather products. If only we could fix the world with wool I would dream of a world where the voiceless are not massacred for filling human greed. Instead, we could hook the world with products we can make out of wool. 

2. What has been your most memorable moment with Baabuk?

As we hit Covid19, which was my starting year, it was really nerve wrecking for me to perform all the activities and to run the factory. But with all the coordination and dedication of the staff we did our best to achieve our milestones during that phase of Covid.

3. What are your hopes for 2023?

Taking customer’s satisfaction into consideration, I hope to always improve the quality and deliver the best of the best products.

OLEKSANDRE — Photo Editing @Ukraine

1. What would you do if you could fix the world with wool?

For me, wool products are associated with tranquility, calmness and peace. Let this be the motto for everyone!

2. What has been your most memorable moment with Baabuk?

My first project with Baabuk was the most memorable for me. There were a lot of edits, I even despaired at some point. But thanks to the excellent communication with Anna, we did everything right and I became part of the team and I am very happy about it.

3. What are your hopes for 2023?

Now the main thing for me is the end of the war in Ukraine. 

And of course many new interesting projects with Baabuk.

NURIA — Customer Service @Spain

1. What would you do if you could fix the world with wool?

I would do wool cars, wool planes, wool space rockets, even. Gladly, wool fashion exist, and we are already there to improve. Now let’s go further!! 

2. What has been your most memorable moment with Baabuk?

I think it was at my second team meeting in Switzerland in May 2022, sitting all together at the terrace and “working”. Because, yes, we were working. But the whole week was actually wonderful. So productive. Very introspective. Enriching. Yummy. And so funny!

3. What are your hopes for 2023?

I really would love to see some issues solved at all the levels that come to my mind right now. Can you imagine having a genie that solves issues? Let’s rub the magic lamp!

GABRIELLA — Graphic Design & Social Media @Portugal

1. What would you do if you could fix the world with wool?

I’ll make people be in more contact with the nature and the sheep, as part of the process of buying. We need to slow down and understand where things come from and try to be part of them, respectfully. 

2. What has been your most memorable moment with Baabuk?

For me the most memorable moment was the time that I visited the oPorto factory (Ricap) and saw really close the shoes being made. It was super nice to see the factory workers, talk with them and see each part of the process of the shoe making. 

3. What are your hopes for 2023?

That we can keep trying to make a better world by the way we produce and consume things.

YVES — Sustainability @Switzerland

1. What would you do if you could fix the world with wool?

I would put a huge wool blanket on the Glaciers to isolate them from melting :o) !  I love the image that everything is actually fixable by simply using a needle and a thread of wool! 

2. What has been your most memorable moment with Baabuk?

When we arrived at the ISPO in Munich and we were supposed to have a booth with 4 walls, but none where there!  We had to go buy paint and planks and started to build walls very last minute to have a booth ready for the trade show a few hours later. There will always be a solution … at Baabuk :o)

3. What are your hopes for 2023?

That more people start to think like sheep but do not follow like sheep. Sheep are magic and super intelligent, they can change the world and so can you! 

BÉATRICE — Translations @France

1. What would you do if you could fix the world with wool?

I don’t know if wool could fix the world, but it can certainly make life cozier, softer, warmer, make people feel safe and well. And when people feel safe and well, they can do the best around them, spread happiness, and maybe start fixing the world at their own level.

2. What has been your most memorable moment with Baabuk?

My most memorable moment with Baabuk so far was when I worked on the Miss Baabuka content. I thought that was the best way to celebrate the sheep’s and thank them for everything they give us. I also thought it was great for a brand like Baabuk to be so committed in helping the Black Nose sheep’s to stay a traditional breed of the Swiss mountains when no one wanted them anymore. And it’s true: they’re the most adorable sheep’s in the world!

3. What are your hopes for 2023?

My hopes are not just for 2023: make the madness and intolerance that strike all around the world stop. It’s probably just a dream. But what’s real, is all the efforts so many other people do to make things right, help the communities live a better life, even with small things. And I hope those efforts will get bigger and spread.

VLADIMIR — Film Editing @Montenegro

1. What would you do if you could fix the world with wool?

If I could, I would warm the hearts and souls of all people like wool warms cold feet.

2. What has been your most memorable moment with Baabuk?

I'm glad to have met and to be working with an exceptionally authentic company with high ethical standards and social responsibility. The most inspiring was to work on the film for the Miss Baabuka project.

3. What are your hopes for 2023?

Peace, Love, Health, and Happiness !

IZZY — Copywriter @United Kingdom

1. What would you do if you could fix the world with wool?

I think what would go some way to fixing the world is giving everyone that feeling that wool brings! Safety, warmth, protection… and being irresistibly cozy. 

2. What has been your most memorable moment with Baabuk?

No one particular moment stands out as the most memorable – but I’ve really loved supporting Baabuk with all the projects I’ve worked on. Not only is it a fun brand to be involved with, I also really admire Baabuk’s beautiful ethical and sustainable mission.

3. What are your hopes for 2023?

The world is in a bit of a dark place at the moment, but I’m hopeful that we’ll see an uplift in years to come. There are so many different movements of people trying to achieve the same goal of making the world a better place, and I really hope that these voices will become the loudest.

RICARDO — Ecommerce @Costa Rica

1. What would you do if you could fix the world with wool?

I would like to support a sheep conservation non-profit and become an active member. Get immersed in their goals, promotion activities, social media posts and international events. 

2. What has been your most memorable moment with Baabuk?

Getting to know Baabuk products, exploring their sustainability goal and understanding Baabuk’s philosophy. It is very memorable to have the opportunity of assisting the digital marketing department with ecommerce campaigns. Coworkers as Alex make meetings relaxed and calm instead of being stressful or intense. Little details that make me think how consequent Baabuk is as a brand. It is quite memorable how Baabuk builds teams and relationships around. 

3. What are your hopes for 2023?

Peace for Ukraine. Stop the world's convulsion in economy, wars, diseases or any other external factor that stops us from being united and connected. I also hope international organizations as non-profit, human collectives or popular institutions will do more in protecting our planet, get into sustainability and take Baabuk’s help to achieve this effort. 

ALPHA — Production @Nepal

1. What would you do if you could fix the world with wool?

Replace more synthetic warm clothes with wool. 

2. What has been your most memorable moment with Baabuk?

I provide support to Baabuk and the production team in Nepal. My first teambuilding meeting with the staff is the most memorable since a lot changed after that meeting. The staff worked like a family, everyone contributed to solutions, all wanted to make Baabuk as success!

3. What are your hopes for 2023?

Baabuk Nepal supports about 50 people directly and many more indirectly. We hope to get many more orders in 2023, to be able to provide employment to more needy workers and build their hopes for a good future in Nepal. 

JOHANNE — Accounting @Switzerland

1. What would you do if you could fix the world with wool?

Put a giant wool blanket over the world and make sure everybody is warm (and feels warm in their hearth). 

2. What has been your most memorable moment with Baabuk?

I have been working with Baabuk for 3 months now and it amazes me how quickly and easily I felt welcome into the team. I feel like I have been working with them for all my life. 

3. What are your hopes for 2023?

For myself, I hope I will live more in the moment… not thinking about past or future since the reality is what is happening now. For my family, to continue having fun and laugh a lot! For my friends, to stay healthy.

For the world, to stop fighting. Make sure all children are safe.

For Baabuk and my colleagues, to continue to growth and keep having fun in what we are doing.