The Armenian Weekly. LOS ANGELES, Calif. — WithLove.am, an online marketplace aiming to bridge the gap between sustainable, artisanal small businesses in Armenia and customers in the United States, has released its fifth anniversary, limited edition curation of items to be sold following last year’s introduction of a tiered purchasing option. In celebration of its fifth birthday, WithLove has partnered with two fan-favorite artisans from past collections, Darman Tea and Nuri Design, in addition to four new partners. The collection launched on November 25 at www.withlove.am and ships to anywhere in the United States.
“Part of Sosé & Allen’s legacy, to me, is representing to the world the best that Armenia has to offer–the unique, the creative, the resourceful and sustainable” said founder Vache Thomassian. “Looking back over the past five years, I am so proud of the number of producers we have worked with in Armenia, the wonder and awe their beautiful creations have elicited in our customers, and the simple satisfaction of playing a part in showing people the treasures Armenia has to offer.”
Since 2015, WithLove’s team has been curating the best of the country’s artisan economy into a special, one-of-a-kind set sold annually during the holidays. This spirit of discovery is the root of the concept behind WithLove, an initiative of Sosé and Allen’s Legacy Foundation which establishes programs and supports existing programs aimed at bridging the gap between Armenia and its Diaspora, through an emphasis on education, repatriation and volunteerism.
Tricolor Prime Minister Socks by Braind and Artsocks
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Nuri wooden keepsake box
The making of a Nuri wood keepsake box
Darman herbal flower mixture tea
Hirik apricot kernel oil
The products in this year’s 5th anniversary curation are:
- Herbal Flower Mixture Tea by Darman WithLove is partnering with Darman again to feature their new loose-leaf Flower Mixture tea which contains pomegranate seeds and flowers, blueberry leaves, rose petals, melissa, oregano and black tea—all grown in the mountainous Tavush region in northern Armenia.● Apricot Kernel Oil by Hirik Lilit Zadayan created a cold-pressed cosmetic seed oil, rich in Vitamins A and with zero additives, derived from the pits of Armenian apricots.● Wooden Keepsake Box by Nuri Design Nuri Design created the first ever WithLove Box in 2015 and returns this year with a keepsake box made of beech wood, hand-painted and laser-carved with original ornamentation inspired by the Armenian symbol for eternity.
● Tricolor Prime Minister Socks by Braind and Artsocks Originally created to welcome Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Armenia, these extremely popular, viral socks are made mostly out of cotton with a dash of polyester and lycra for a stretchy, unisex fit.
● Sterling Silver Garni Bangle by Voskanyan’s Zhirayr Voskanyan created a custom sterling silver bangle exclusively for WithLove customers whose design is lifted from the carvings on the interior and exterior walls of the pagan Garni temple near Yerevan. *This product is only available in the premium set*
● Three months of access to VLUME – by Technolonguistics VLUME is a digital media platform that offers readers an extensive variety of Armenian eBooks and Audiobooks accessible through personal iOS and Android devices. VLUME is the largest Armenian digital library representing both Eastern and Western Armenian across varieties of genres and age groups. It is the brainchild of Technolinguistics, a non-profit organization established in Armenia to take on the challenges of publishing and distributing digital literature at scale. It is by design a single hub for exchanging quality literature by bringing together readers with authors and publishers, and offers each of these parties tools for a better experience and further innovation. All orders of 2019 premium and select sets will come with a postcard containing an access link for a free three-month trial of VLUME.
Main photo: WithLove 2019 collection
