Niyona receives first Brussels “Handmade in Belgium” label

Last spring, Unizo, the organisation that represented the self-employed and small businesses in Flanders, launched the Handmade in Belgium (HIB) labels, awarding one designer in every Flemish province a label. Last week, leather goods maker Niyona became the first business in Brussels to receive the label, which designates quality local craftsmanship.

Niyona was founded in 2010 by Nina Bodenhorst and Jonathan Wieme. They recently opened their shop Hello James on Lakensestraat in the city centre, where they sell a mix of their own bags, wallets and accessories as well as a limited selection of travel-related items by other designers. From a large hole in the wooden floor you can see Bodenhorst’s workshop: Everything is hand-made on the premises, in limited quantities.

Unizo created the HIB label last spring as a quality label for manufacturers, ensuring that what customers buy is hand-made using traditional methods. The first five HIB labels went to bicycle manufacturer Achielle (Pittem, West Flanders), bespoke tailor Aravinda Rodenburg from Ghent, bags and accessory label Deville from Rotselaar (Flemish Brabant), Rondou butcher’s from Leuven and Atelier Schrauwen, woodworkers from Loenhout (Antwerp province).

Niyona will receive their plaque symbolising the label tomorrow from the hands of Unizo’s managing director, Karel Van Eetvelt.

www.tinyurl.com/unizohandmade