How TavanaStudio got started

Introduce your Etsy shop and tell us your story. How did you begin and decide on what to sell on Etsy, and how do you create your products?

My name is Anna Lubińska. I design and sew interior decor from Tyvek® and mainly from linen fabric. Once, at a fair, I was amazed by the "strange" white clothes that were made out of fabric that looked like paper. I decided to test Tyvek by sewing a tablecloth and placemats from it. As a mother of three, I was looking for something practical for the table. The first products were made for me by a seamstress, but because the end result was very disappointing, I decided that I would learn the tailoring trade myself. Fascinated by the new skill, I started to design and sew more items, but only from white Tyvek. So all products were only in white.

My products were practical, minimalist, and very original, but only white. I started a business with very few products and started selling them on Etsy, actually just adding products (and only about 30). No one was buying them, although the photos were beautiful. I was brokenhearted. Suddenly, one day, after about 2 months, something clicked. and I sold two Tyvek curtains.

I was thinking about how to expand my range because I had regained faith in my products again. So I started sewing curtains, tablecloths, etc. from linen fabric. And I wanted to add color to the Tyvek curtains, so I combined white Tyvek with linen in different colors, thanks to which the products were unique and the only such ones in the world. Step by step, I was adding new products to my shop, optimizing the shop in terms of SEO, making sure to provide attractive photos, working on the shop every day, and then customers began to appear.

Favorite items

What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?

The most popular products are linen muslin boho curtains and linen Japanese room dividers (Noren). Currently, canopies made of linen muslin are also popular. My favorite products are those "famous" Tyvek curtains and linen and Tyvek bags, which are also the only such ones on Etsy (although we can’t be certain anymore). Would you believe that now our customers largely design our products? They ask me to create a product; if we think it will work, we sew it and put it up as a new listing. That's how they want it with the Japanese curtains.

Dreamy Light and Ethereal Natural Boho Curtains, High Quality Linen Curtain Panels, Tie Top Sheer White Bohemian Style Linen Custom Curtains
Japanese Linen Noren, Linen Noren Curtain, Double Color Room Divider, Linen Door Curtain in Double Color, Burlap Doorway Curtain, Noren
Light white window curtains in Scandinavian Style, Thin Curtains in Scandinavian Design, Industrial Window Decor, Curtains to loft
Linen Tote Bag, Linen Beach Bag in Natural Color, Burlap Tote Bag, Big Beach Bag, Natural Shopper Linen, Burlap Shoulder Bag, Tyvek Bag

Getting sales on Etsy

How long did it take for you to earn your first sale and how do you currently attract customers to your Etsy shop?

My first sale was after about 2 months. A woman from the USA, from Manhattan, bought my Tyvek curtains. Then again, a few months break At that time, I was trying to come up with ideas to increase the assortment of the store and add some colors. As I mentioned earlier, there were only white products made of material that looked like paper.

Every day I work on my Etsy shop, I share my products on Pinterest and Instagram, I invest a bit in paid advertising on Etsy, and I have a very high percentage of returning customers. Because I believe that quick and good contact with the customer and being helpful are the keys to being successful and earning on Etsy, To serve your customers exactly the way you would like to be served yourself.

Managing TavanaStudio

How do you manage your shop? Are you running solo or do you have any team members? What tools or services do you use to run your shop and how do you handle fulfillment?

For the first 2 years, I worked alone; to this day, I don't know how I managed to do it, but I had much fewer clients compared to today. I was responsible for everything: taking photos, sewing, adding products (listings) to the store, making descriptions, running social media, replying to customer inquiries and problems, ordering fabrics, and all that is needed for the company. Anyway, it's no better now because my company employs just one seamstress and one person to pack and send parcels. Honestly, I really could do with a right-hand man.

This is my Achilles heel: team building and delegating tasks. I want to do everything myself. It is not good. What is more, I am currently trying to introduce my company to the Polish market, which means positioning my own online store and going to fairs. Don't ask me how I do it without any help. Luckily, I really like my job and my customers. When it comes to Etsy, I use Erank, and I think that there is a lot to improve on my shop there because my priority has been to keep the shipping time and good contact with the customers. My shop has been a star seller for a long time.

The future of TavanaStudio 

What goals do you have for your shop in the future?

My goal now is to make my products and company known in my own country. Maybe introduce the assortment to stationery stores. It would be great. As for Etsy, I would like to open another shop, but with something completely different (I don't know it yet), because I really like starting new projects.

Advice for new sellers

What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?

Before you open a shop on Etsy, be prepared. Now there are a lot of informative videos, guides, blogs (even the one on Alura), and Facebook groups. But you know what? Don't get discouraged when you read how hard selling on Etsy is. Make sure to take good care of your SEO because it will allow your products to be visible. Provide attractive and clear photos, and above all, take care of your customers.

Alura Team
Alura Team

Alura is your all-in-one platform for selling on Etsy. With more $500.000+ gross sales over four years selling on Etsy, Alura is built by experienced sellers for sellers. Start with a free account and explore all the features you need to start, run, and grow your Etsy shop.