Artisans highlighted at haven for sustainable living in Yandina

Ibtehal “Hali” Elmustafa: “There’s a nice community feeling in Yandina and everyone likes the art that we’ve got in here.”

Business Writeup: Earthen Roots Collective by Janine Hill

A SMALL business owner has poured her passions for sustainability and products made by hand and heart into a destination store in Yandina.

Ibtehal “Hali” Elmustafa, opened Earthen Roots Collective in Stevens Street six months ago after growing her small business at the Eumundi Pavilion market.

The boutique-style store stocks the works of about 20 artisans. Customers can browse pottery, eco-dyed clothing, natural and African skin care products, herbal teas, handmade journals and jewellery, pyrographic art and botanical prints.

Hali, the “kokedama mama”, also stocks her own kokedamas, plants wrapped contained in decorative, natural fibre wraps for a bonsai-like future.

The products sold at Earthern Roots Collective, bar cacao, are all made locally, meaning their journey from maker to store has a reduced environmental impact.

“All of our products are made within 20km of Yandina,” said Hali, adding that the makers often used local materials in their works as well.

“A lot of the artisans forage for products in their own back yards instead of importing from other countries.”

A mum of two young children, Hali moved to the Sunshine Coast after the birth of her first child in 2017, drawn to the idea of a living a natural lifestyle and enjoying the outdoors.

“I wanted her to grow-up somewhat technology-free,” she said.

Of Sudanese heritage but born in Egypt, Hali came to Australia at 11 with her aunt, cousins and two siblings under a refugee resettlement program.

She is grateful they were able to settle in a warm country where she could enjoy the outdoors and natural environment.

She picked up enough English to start primary school and made her way through the education system into the workforce, running her own housekeeping business before starting Earthen Roots collective.

Friends encouraged her to look at Yandina when she needed to expand and she is convinced it was the right move.

“I chose Yandina because I felt comfortable with the store. It kept coming to me that I needed to be in this store. Everything around me was saying Yandina is a good space,” she said.

“There’s a nice community feeling in Yandina and everyone likes the art that we’ve got in here.”

“The experience is different to other shops. There’s a lot of deep and meaningful conversations in here.  I love working here. It’s amazing.”

• Earthern Roots Collective is open from 9.30am-2pm Tuesday to Friday and 9am-3pm Saturdays.