We need a name for our sewing business
December 22, 2014 9:47 PM Subscribe
We've been using "Pieceworks" for a small division that employs women from the families we work with to make school uniforms and small handicrafts, but absolutely no-one likes the name except me. The division is being spun off into a social enterprise and we need to rename it this month.
This is supported work - half the team are on contracts so they can work around difficult home situations. We don't make export quality items, more sturdy and affordable for the local market. Our clients are other NGOs, schools, organisations and families in the local communities. Value for money and good customer service. We need a name that can be translated into Khmer, and that sounds happy and no "Made by survivors" stuff. We've been brainstorming names and they all sound daft or cheesy or punny which doesn't translate well. This will go onto labels and stationary and hopefully a tiny website. Ideas, o mighty green?
This is supported work - half the team are on contracts so they can work around difficult home situations. We don't make export quality items, more sturdy and affordable for the local market. Our clients are other NGOs, schools, organisations and families in the local communities. Value for money and good customer service. We need a name that can be translated into Khmer, and that sounds happy and no "Made by survivors" stuff. We've been brainstorming names and they all sound daft or cheesy or punny which doesn't translate well. This will go onto labels and stationary and hopefully a tiny website. Ideas, o mighty green?
Sew Local (punny, but still a logical literal meaning)
posted by DoubleLune at 9:58 PM on December 22, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by DoubleLune at 9:58 PM on December 22, 2014 [4 favorites]
Go purely descriptive: "Khmer Sewing Group" or the like. It might sound a bit boring, but it emphasizes that you are local workers who provide a straightforward valued service.
posted by fings at 10:01 PM on December 22, 2014 [15 favorites]
posted by fings at 10:01 PM on December 22, 2014 [15 favorites]
Stylish Seams
Stylish Stitches
Tailor Made
Local Couture
$Townname Couture
Made for You
Tailored in $Town
Stylish Stitchery
Um... Is there a Khmer legend who's like the three fates with their thread and scissors?maybe something referring to that?
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 10:05 PM on December 22, 2014
Stylish Stitches
Tailor Made
Local Couture
$Townname Couture
Made for You
Tailored in $Town
Stylish Stitchery
Um... Is there a Khmer legend who's like the three fates with their thread and scissors?maybe something referring to that?
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 10:05 PM on December 22, 2014
"Bright Needles, Firm Stitches" expresses 95% of what I want in a tailor or seamstress, BTW! Not too catchy in English but maybe it sounds good in Khmer and I would shop there!
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 10:07 PM on December 22, 2014
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 10:07 PM on December 22, 2014
Scissor Sisters
posted by Dragonness at 10:10 PM on December 22, 2014
posted by Dragonness at 10:10 PM on December 22, 2014
Right Fit
(I took "Little Things", apparently a One Direction song, and "Swift Tailors" out of the running for you.)
posted by cotton dress sock at 10:10 PM on December 22, 2014
(I took "Little Things", apparently a One Direction song, and "Swift Tailors" out of the running for you.)
posted by cotton dress sock at 10:10 PM on December 22, 2014
Would PeaceWork be too close to your original name?
posted by ChuraChura at 10:11 PM on December 22, 2014 [6 favorites]
posted by ChuraChura at 10:11 PM on December 22, 2014 [6 favorites]
Are there any concrete objects or animals mentioned in local-culture idioms or symbolic associations for independence, pride, "standing tall" kind of idea? Or an animal that is conscientious, doing things properly? Something like "Wise Owl Clothing" is what I have in mind... a name including that sort of thing would give you a natural logo too.
posted by LobsterMitten at 10:11 PM on December 22, 2014
posted by LobsterMitten at 10:11 PM on December 22, 2014
Response by poster: We don't want to use an animal because we have a program named after elephants already, and pretty much every other animal has a negative or edible slang version. We had a support group program I called "Butterfly Sisters" which translated we found out later (after tshirts had been made) into a group of courtesans in local slang. Renamed very hastily!
Almost all the sewing ones suggested above have been done by other groups around us for the export market, and we wanted something less Adjective+Sewing and more concrete.
If it helps, our logo is a flower and we work by the riverside?
posted by viggorlijah at 10:26 PM on December 22, 2014 [2 favorites]
Almost all the sewing ones suggested above have been done by other groups around us for the export market, and we wanted something less Adjective+Sewing and more concrete.
If it helps, our logo is a flower and we work by the riverside?
posted by viggorlijah at 10:26 PM on December 22, 2014 [2 favorites]
If business is going to be 100% local, what about starting in Khmer and then translating back to English?
posted by cotton dress sock at 10:31 PM on December 22, 2014 [7 favorites]
posted by cotton dress sock at 10:31 PM on December 22, 2014 [7 favorites]
Best answer: Riverside Handiworks
Skilled Hands
River Crafts
posted by cecic at 10:37 PM on December 22, 2014
Skilled Hands
River Crafts
posted by cecic at 10:37 PM on December 22, 2014
The Stitchery
River Stitch Company
Quality Sewing Co.
posted by Klaxon Aoooogah at 11:42 PM on December 22, 2014
River Stitch Company
Quality Sewing Co.
posted by Klaxon Aoooogah at 11:42 PM on December 22, 2014
[The name of the river] Sewing Cooperative
posted by TristanPK at 1:32 AM on December 23, 2014 [7 favorites]
posted by TristanPK at 1:32 AM on December 23, 2014 [7 favorites]
Khmer Couture
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 2:18 AM on December 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 2:18 AM on December 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
I really like Pieceworks, but can see how it may not suit needs.
How about something like "River Works" or "Peace River"?
posted by zennie at 6:29 AM on December 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
How about something like "River Works" or "Peace River"?
posted by zennie at 6:29 AM on December 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
What is the river meaning? There's a local yarn store near me near a river that's named "[river meaning] yarns" and it's a great name. (In this case it's the Schuylkill River, so it's Hidden River Yarns.)
Then just make the last word a sewing-related noun:
[river meaning] needlework/sewers/crafters/sewing/etc
posted by DoubleLune at 6:50 AM on December 23, 2014
Then just make the last word a sewing-related noun:
[river meaning] needlework/sewers/crafters/sewing/etc
posted by DoubleLune at 6:50 AM on December 23, 2014
Maybe use the name of the type of flower in the logo:
Rose Works
Carnation Sewing
Seamstresses of the Dandelion
Other things I thought of:
A stitch in time
A stitch in thyme
Also, rivers meander. As someone with health problems and a difficult home situation I need to work around, meandering towards my goals is basically the path I take. Maybe that is an idea to use as a jumping off point?
River Path Tailors
Meander Wears
make school uniforms and small handicrafts
Suit-Crafts
If there is a term for "uniforms" in Khmer, maybe that word plus "crafts"?
posted by Michele in California at 11:28 AM on December 23, 2014
Rose Works
Carnation Sewing
Seamstresses of the Dandelion
Other things I thought of:
A stitch in time
A stitch in thyme
Also, rivers meander. As someone with health problems and a difficult home situation I need to work around, meandering towards my goals is basically the path I take. Maybe that is an idea to use as a jumping off point?
River Path Tailors
Meander Wears
make school uniforms and small handicrafts
Suit-Crafts
If there is a term for "uniforms" in Khmer, maybe that word plus "crafts"?
posted by Michele in California at 11:28 AM on December 23, 2014
Thoughtful Stitches
posted by WeekendJen at 12:38 PM on December 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by WeekendJen at 12:38 PM on December 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Is a specific type of flower?
Rosewater (flower + river) (although there may be consequences given the Jon Stewart movie of the same name
Homegrown
Riverbed Garden [sewing/works/crafts)
Our Hands, Your Hearts (From Our Hands to Your Hearts or some variation here / From Our Hands To Yours)
posted by miasma at 6:53 PM on December 23, 2014
Rosewater (flower + river) (although there may be consequences given the Jon Stewart movie of the same name
Homegrown
Riverbed Garden [sewing/works/crafts)
Our Hands, Your Hearts (From Our Hands to Your Hearts or some variation here / From Our Hands To Yours)
posted by miasma at 6:53 PM on December 23, 2014
Response by poster: Thanks! We went with "Sew Happy" which translates pretty easily into Khmer (Dey Sabay sort of) and with the tag line "from our hands to your heart". We went with a shortlist and the staff voted and everyone's happy with it. The overall training program is now dubbed Skilled Hands as a more generic term so we can use other skills too.
posted by viggorlijah at 9:53 PM on January 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by viggorlijah at 9:53 PM on January 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
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Skilled Stitches
Brilliant Needles
Blessed Bobbins
Terrific Thimbles, Terrific Threads
Fabulous Fiber Works
Patches with Panache ... Okay sorry my punning is starting to overcome me!
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:56 PM on December 22, 2014