Today, we’d like to introduce you to Zuzu Gokce Çetin.
Hi Zuzu, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
The Cali-Zuzu brand is a story of love between a mother and her daughter. I am 42, and Cali is five years old. I am a preschool teacher. Before Cali was born, I worked at GPCP and Atlanta International School in Atlanta.
Afterward, the COVID lockdown was a form of meditation for us and a fun way for my daughter to play and have organic and safe toys. I started making handmade dolls for my daughter Cali when she was six months old. Her first doll was a bunny with a fabric dress, and her doll will be a wonderful memory from her childhood forever, so every kid needs a perfect gift forever. Mostly, I followed what Cali wanted me to crochet. She encouraged me to crochet animal rattles and blanket animal dolls because she reminded me what kids like to play with. First, I was looking for organic cotton yarns in Atlanta craft stores with Cali for a month, but we couldn’t find anything. I got organic cotton yarns from my country, and I ordered a few different organic cotton yarn brands from Turkey and Germany.
I wanted to crochet organic and safe for all ages with good quality materials. Second, I posted my dolls on my Facebook and opened my Instagram. I had enough encouragement and custom orders from my friends and neighbors and committed to becoming a full-time doll maker. One of my customers had invited me to her Christmas market at Grant Park, and I became a vendor at the Southeast Atlanta Lady MOB market every year on Dec. 4th I join.
Gaining more popularity, I sold my second doll at the Marietta Artisan Market in Atlanta, Georgia, and @CALI.ZUZU’s popularity spread all over the Atlanta Art and Craft markets and festivals, and I have customers from all states and countries.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It wasn’t too much of a struggle. We have just sometimes returned home without selling anything or a few items in some of the markets we visited in different places in Atlanta for a few reasons, like no advertising good from organizers or weather, especially on rainy days, are more difficult to set up for us because we don’t want to doll get wet.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe you can tell us more about your work next?
The most important thing is that the materials are used for all age groups. In the last two years, I have involved my sister in my work because my sister wanted to crochet and design dolls, too. She is a lawyer in Turkey. She finds organic and safe materials. She has a great network in Turkey and Germany. We are very careful. Under three years of age, we do not use safety eyes or buttons.
For that age group. We do stitch or crochet eyes, which means I have crochet eyes dolls, stitch eyes dolls without buttons, and safety eyes with buttons, and some design dolls have fine wires. Our rattle and pacifier woods are of amazing quality for babies. The materials are very expensive, but I don’t mind using them. Also, I have dolls for all ethnic groups, and my customers are so happy when I sell African American dolls. They said only I sell dark-skinned dolls in Atlanta; they said they couldn’t find a long time ago for their kids and gifts.
Also, I get many orders from different religions; for example, I sold sheep and elephants last year. I am proud of my family. We work together hard, but I am so happy to make kids happy with unforgettable memories they have with our dolls forever because when I was under 7, I didn’t have a doll. One day, my grandmother folded a small piece of cloth and gave it to me, and I played second. When we went to a small village, we made a doll from small sticks, small yarns, and fabrics for playing.
What are your plans for the future?
I would like to have a small place; half of the place is a cafe, bookstore, and play area for kids.
The other area I would like to explore is selling my crochet dolls to my customers. For the past two years, my customers have wanted to take my crochet classes. It is an amazing idea. I can build a crochet club with them, so I need a fabulous place in the future.
Pricing:
- $8
- $39
- $55
- $79
- $159
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cali-zuzu.com
- Instagram: @Cali.Zuzu
- Facebook: Zuzu Gokce Cetin
