Handmade with love: The story of ALNO Craft

(Left) Alno Kennao (Right) Some of Alno's  miniature art work.

(Left) Alno Kennao (Right) Some of Alno's miniature art work.

Morung Express News
Kohima | August 24

“Ever since I was a kid, the love for handmade stuff had always fascinated me. I started crafting when I was really young, around six or seven years old. My mother would teach me and my sibling how to knit, crochet and weave,” says Alno Kennao, from ALNO Craft.

ALNO Craft is a popular online craft store in Nagaland specialising in miniature art, handmade cards, gift tags, and customised frames. Each item is meticulously handmade, hand painted, customised and personalized according to the preference of the customer.

The artist also vividly recalls collecting scraps at auto repair shops, printing presses and waste cloths from tailor shops to make outfits for dolls. “Their trash had become my treasures,” remarks Kennao.

School was also another platform for her to develop her skill and passion to work with her own hands. Projects for Socially Useful Productive Work (SUPW) subject in school further ignited her interests.

It was the year after she matriculated that she made her entry into the craft business where she placed handmade bookmarks and cards for sale to a few friends. Keeping a low profile of her work, Kennao catered to the orders made by friends and family. However, she finally created a niche for her work when she officially started ALNO Craft in 2013. 

Setting up a page on Instagram, a photo and video sharing social networking service, expanded her audience and customers. ALNO Craft now caters to customers in cities across the country and abroad as well. However, she says that international shipping is still a challenge with its prolonged and high shipping cost.

Her crafts have garnered much attraction for its 'attention to detail' craftsmanship and trendy shabby-chic and rustic elements.

“All products are created from scratch using readily available materials but with more customizations and modifications, patchworks, paints, fabrics and distinctive embellishments,” informs Kennao on her work.

A self taught crafter, Alno Kennao believes that Nagas are way ahead when it comes to craftsmanship.

“It would not be wrong to say that Nagas are born creative. But we don’t have the confidence in ourselves that we can create and be innovative, and that we can come up with our own unique designs and styles,” Kennao says, adding that hard work and efforts need to be given in any venture.

Further, Kennao states that while there are many individuals and organisations that are making efforts to support local artisans and craftsmen, appreciating handmade crafts still have a long way to go.

“There are some who feel handmade items are expensive or overpriced without being aware of the amount of effort and ideas that goes in creating. This can be discouraging sometimes. On the other hand, we have people who are willing to pay any amount provided the creations are authentic, artistic and ingenious,” remarks Alno.

Besides being sustainable, each handmade craft has a unique identity of its own. With most products being mass produced in nowadays, each handmade craft holds a certain significance and value.

For Kennao, “Handmade is something we create. At the end of the day, it gives you a sense of satisfaction. Each handmade art is always different from the other one. Whenever you gift it to someone, it is always unique and special.”