Our Story
WHO WE ARE
MINNA is a certified B Corp located in Upstate New York that designs and creates ethically handmade homewares, textiles, and wallcoverings.
Our Story
Hudson, NY
We are a queer led business which informs our approach to just about everything we do. We believe in creating beautiful, ethically made products and using business to do good.
MINNA was founded by Sara Berks in 2013 in Brooklyn, NY and moved to Hudson, NY in 2016, where our storefront and studio are now located.
We work collaboratively to create multipurpose products by partnering with master artisans in Central and South America which ensures craft preservation and job creation in these regions. Our most recent expansion includes digitally printed textiles and wallcoverings with US based manufacturers specializing in sustainable printing methods. Our patterns, colors, and textures are meant to be mixed, matched, and layered for today’s modern home. Designs are informed and inspired by Feminist art, the Bauhaus, traditional craft, and vintage textiles.
The name MINNA comes from Sara’s maternal grandmother’s name, dropped upon her arrival to the United States from Germany in 1940. Sara loved this story: nostalgic with a touch of rebellion.
Our shop and studio is found on land that is part of unceded territory belonging to the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of the Mohican Nation.
Our Values
[1]
Honest
We believe in creating a world where transparency, accountability, and vulnerability are the norm. Sustainable change is a process. We believe in acknowledging when we are wrong and are dedicated to do our part in learning how we can continue to do better.
[2]
Intentional
We think of our work as a place where home and values can meet. We care about the impact of our intentions. Every decision we make as a business prioritizes people and the planet. From the materials we use to how we create, we are in a state of continual improvement. Because progress is a process.
[3]
Human
We consider the human at every step. MINNA is a queer led business which informs our approach to just about everything we do. We care deeply about building relationships rooted in mutual respect and nurturing an inclusive community dedicated to challenging injustices both locally and globally.
Our Team
Sara Berks
Founder & CEO
Halee Hastad
Retail Manager
Yael Rose
Operations Manager
Claire Shearburn
Retail Associate
Sam Tannenbaum
Product Manager
Sarah Vreeland
Wholesale & Partnerships
Soba
Studio Pup
Advisors
Amy Chender
Advisor, Former COO at ABC Carpet & Home
Holly Howard
Advisor
Guillermo Macias
Advisor, Artisan Sector Mexico
THE FOUNDER
About Sara
Meet Sara, the founder and CEO behind MINNA. With a background in Graphic Design from the School of Visual Arts in NYC, Sara left her digital design path in 2013 to focus on her art practices: weaving and painting. A self taught weaver, she wove every original MINNA piece until 2015. After beginning to explore artisan production with two trips to Mexico and Guatemala, the artisan collection was born out of a belief that it’s possible to use design to create a positive impact and use business to do good.
Interested in speaking with Sara? She is available for consulting and loves to support young entrepreneurs and businesses within the artisan sector.
Our Artisan Partners
