AUC Student maintains Socially Responsible Business

Sunday November 3, 2013

 BY SALMA EL SAEED

Handmade by DB is a socially responsible business that sells handmade crocheted products which was founded by AUC sophomore, Deena Bahgat, while she was a high school student.

“[It] is all about bringing back the glory to handmade goods and rebuilding the bridge between the consumer and producer,” said Bahgat, who is studying Business Administration.

She added, “nowadays, most of the things we buy were mass produced in factories in faraway countries such as China, by workers who are often paid abysmally and,

consequently, people are starting to lose their appreciation for the handmade.”

Bahgat founded DB during her sophomore year at high school, when she decided to take her lifelong hobby of crocheting to the next level. She began by making a pillow for her older sister and a pencil case for herself.

She made her first pieces from her mother’s yarn stock and she also looks to her cousin, who runs a customized silver jewelry business, for encouragement.

“Most of all, I derive inspiration from my late grandmother, who was an extremely talented craftswoman and artist,” Bahgat said.

She explained that when her classmates and sister’s coworkers expressed interest in buying products similar to her pencil case, she recognized that there was a high demand on her work.

While the pillows and pencil cases are the cornerstones of her DB Originals line, she has since expanded her products to include infinity scarves, hot water bottle holders, and a variety of other crocheted goods.

In 2012, she rebranded DB and developed it into Handmade by DB because she believed this name reflected how being handmade is an essential component of her business.

In an effort to give back to the community while simultaneously developing her business, Bahgat recruited an artisan from Fayoum to help her with her line.

Om Haysam, who assists Bahgat in producing Handmade by DB pieces, did not have access to an education as a child and got married at a very young age.

The artisan enrolled herself in a literacy program in her early twenties. Bahgat recognized her persistence and desire to learn, and took advantage of it to train Om Haysam in crocheting.

“I taught her how to crochet from A to Z and I was absolutely amazed by how fast she picked it up; she is extremely bright and naturally talented,” Bahgat said about Om Haysam.

Bahgat explained that hours of effort and thought go into designing and executing each piece.

In addition to rebranding her business and launching a variety of collections, Bahgat has taken many steps to further develop Handmade by DB.

During Fall 2012, she joined the Entrepreneurs’ Society Business Plan Competition in AUC, where she presented her business plan and managed to reach the final round of the competition. Bahgat was selected as one of the five finalists among 80 applicants.

“Deena’s project was rather unique in that it brought back the old, handmade tradition into a project made for the future,” said Basel Hejazi, a moderator in Entrepreneurs’ Society.

Hejazi added that Bahgat’s business encompassed the unique component of the social development, which set her apart from other contenders and allowed her to win the social entrepreneurship award.

In addition to opening a boutique in Cairo to sell her handmade products, Bahgat dreams of expanding her Handmade by DB team by recruiting more impoverished women. She expressed a great interest in benefiting the community through her business.

“I dream of creating a network of artisans who normally wouldn’t have gotten a steady income, the opportunity to develop, or access to any art form,” Bahgat said.

To date, Bahgat has sold nearly 100 pieces and she has managed to sustain her business, which she describes as profitable, for four years.

Apart from her family, Bahgat’s support system also includes her friends, who provide moral support, as well as assistance with the marketing and campaigning components of her business.

“I really support Deena’s business because I know how strong her passion for crocheting is so I’m proud to see her making something profitable out of what she loves,” said Nour Ashraf, a friend of Bahgat’s.

In the meantime, Bahgat is focusing on maintaining a balance between her business and her education. Although the idea of developing Handmade by DB further is alluring to her, she always puts her studies as a priority over her business, since she knows she will have more time in the future to focus on her entrepreneurial endeavors.