Meet Sony, Founder of Namaste Mandu.

Sony's father started with a single handmade store in Kathmandu and eventually grew the business to five or six Nepalese handicraft stores in the heart of the city.

He later began manufacturing and exporting Nepalese handicrafts, while Sony's mother managed the day-to-day operations of the stores. During summer and Dashain and Tihar holidays, Sony and her siblings would each spend time helping run one of the stores while many of the staff returned home to celebrate with their families.

Sony remembers meeting travelers from all over the world. She wondered why a hiker from Israel was drawn to handmade incense, or why a student from Illinois chose an “Om Shanti” scarf.

At the time, she didn’t realize she was learning something important — that handmade crafts from Nepal can create connections between people who come from completely different places.

After living in the West for more than ten years, Sony began seeing those Nepalese handicrafts differently. She started to understand what had drawn those customers to them all those years ago—the sense of place, craftsmanship and story that mass-produced objects simply don’t carry in the same way.

Namaste Mandu is Sony's way of reconnecting with the craftsmanship and heritage she once took for granted—and sharing authentic handmade products from Nepal with people who appreciate beautiful things made with care.