Mali Toys captures international market:

Hard work bears fruit for toy maker

Sanjeevi Jayasuriya

Hard work and untiring efforts pay rich dividends. Mali Toys has captured the market with its quality products and won numerous customers locally and internationally. The co-partner of the enterprise Anoja Sudharshani ventured in to the soft toys business and today operates a successful enterprise showcasing her inborn talents in this soft skilled industry.

She was interviewed by Daily News Business.

Q: What is the type of your business and how do you set about it?

A: Mali Toys is a partnership that my husband and I operate. We started making handloom fabric soft toys over two decades ago. We have been in the export market since 1992. We export our products to the UK, the Netherlands and Japan.

We are extremely grateful to Ruzil Hussain of Linen Cupboard Liberty Plaza for providing us with a ready market at the beginning and also the Export Development Board (EDB) for encouraging and helping us to hold two exhibitions in Germany and Japan. The EDB paid for the air fare and stall costs. We are happy that we have given back to Sri Lanka one hundred times more than what they had incurred in foreign exchange.

Mali Toys are made from 100 percent cotton, Sri Lankan hand-woven fabrics. I am the designer and quality controller. My husband does all the other work. We have employed 20 girls and also distribute the work in the neighbouring areas.

The work related to the finished product includes laying out the fabric, cutting, sewing, filling and finishing the toy. The machine work is a minor part of the process and the hand work involves most of the cost. I have produced a wide range of toys - from the traditional Sri Lankan dolls, aborigines and cola bears of Australia to reindeer and even Eskimos of Alaska.

The elephant is a very popular item in all countries we export to and there are different colour requirements inherent to each country. Quality is a must and we are in the market due to our stringent standards. We have a repeat clientele as our products are turned out of hand-woven fabric. Some of our clients send us the designs which are produced accordingly.

Our speciality is the use of hand-woven fabrics and they are made from hand dyed yarn and most of the time the colours vary from the original. This enables me to match the fabric for each toy. This gives it thousands of different patterns and is the uniqueness of the hand made toy. A medium fabric is ideal to make the shapes. The expensive thick curtain fabric and the fabric of the Government Weaving Sales Centre which is too thin are not suitable.

The success of the business is the creativity and not copying from others. The customer needs a unique and genuine item of design. The business is now picking up and there is a growing demand for the products.

Q: How do you balance family life and business?

A: My husband is involved in the business and he supports me a great deal. I have two children and they are grown up. We manage things on our own. We run the business smoothly and spend quality time together. I strike a balance between the business and family as I manage time efficiently.

Q: What are the challenges you faced?

A: Finding handloom fabrics is becoming increasingly difficult day by day. The Government withdraw the incentive given to the handloom fabric product export in 2007.

Thereafter many handloom fabric manufacturers switched to power loom fabric making. You could hear the thundering sounds of machines in those weaving centres instead of the familiar “takas tukus” noise of the handloom machine. They use the same yarn and weave it a little loose. However, the price is high. The withdrawal of the incentive is a big blow to the industry. It is important to have an incentive scheme to help the real craftsmen at grass-roots level for the industry to benefit.

The business also faces difficulty in the trade. With our limited resources we are unable to tap expensive markets.

We also have to pay VAT for indirect exports. I get VAT bills only for the polyester fibre filling as the handloom fabric is not under VAT. But when I sell the products I have to pay VAT. This means I have to pay VAT over the fabric cost, labour and profits. It is too much to absorb. The electricity and water rates come under business tariff and this adds to higher production costs.

I also face difficulties in export documentation. The Customs Department needs to be more business friendly. It is important to have a convenient air parcel or courier service for the benefit of industrialists. At times we have to undergo an expensive documentation process for even small quantities.

Q: What is your advice to women in business?

A: Do whatever that matches your talent. Find markets for your products and develop a strong customer base. Product quality is a must and it should cater to the market demand.

Q: What are your goals?

A: We need to come up in business. Though we are at a satisfactory level we need to develop the business further. Some of my contemporaries who took to the business with us are no longer in business. I still feel that this field has much scope. This would generate employment opportunities for girls in urban areas and village weavers.

Q: As a woman was it an advantage to be in business?

A: Yes. This enterprise provides more freedom and livelihood for many women. However, encouragement and motivation are lacking for many to continue in this field.

Q: What are your achievements in business and family?

A: We have taken this business to a higher level. We have a factory where 20 girls are employed and others in nearby areas also benefit by it. I have supported many families to improve their living standards.

My children are well educated and doing well in life. I have a supportive husband and I am content with what I have achieved in life.

Q: What is your contribution to the society?

A: The economic contribution and providing jobs for many people for a better living is my main contribution. I have also conducted workshops to impart my knowledge. However, it is necessary to find markets for these products for greater sustainability.

Turning out toys is a medicine for the soul and it gives immense satisfaction to see an item taking shape with your skill. It is also a respectable livelihood and I wish to see this trade prosper with time touching many lives with a bright future.