Wenlin Studio

What Wenlin Studio does

Wenlin Studio is a heritage-led textile design practice founded in 2019 by Gul E Raana, originally in London and now also operating from Lisbon, Portugal, where the company maintains its warehouse, finishing, and packaging operations. The studio works with three traditional craft techniques — Phulkari embroidery from Punjab, Ajrak natural dyeing and clay-resist printing from Sindh, and Sindhi Gindi/Kantha embroidery — applied to a contemporary product portfolio of embroidery kits, hand-embroidered pouches, totes, hand-painted Ajrak scarves, naturally dyed Ajrak and Khadi cotton fabrics, digital PDF patterns, and craft accessories such as Zhang Xiaoquan scissors. All hand embroidery is produced either in-studio or in small batches by women artisans in Punjab and Sindh, Pakistan, with leftover fabric repurposed into patchwork kits and one-of-a-kind garments.

The business operates as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce brand via a Shopify storefront (wenlinstudio.com), shipping globally from Lisbon to the EU, UK, US, Canada, Australia, and other markets, with multi-currency support (USD, EUR, GBP, CNY) and English/German language options. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales of physical goods (kits priced $33-$83, pouches and totes at $63-$83, scarves up to $98) and digital pattern downloads at $15, supplemented by a small workshops vertical that includes institutional masterclasses such as the Ajrak workshop at Wereldmuseum Rotterdam. The company is structured as Gul E Raana, an independent activity holder registered in Portugal (sole proprietorship equivalent, NIF 307182614), with a separate UK entity, Wenlin Studio Ltd, serving as UK product-safety representative. The brand also reaches customers through a limited set of stockists and a content-marketing channel (the REVIVE blog and Instagram @wenlinstudio), and has a co-branded collaboration with ethical-fashion label Osei-Duro.

Name

Wenlin Studio

Legal name

Gul E Raana

Website

https://wenlinstudio.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wenlin Studio is a heritage-led textile design practice that designs and sells embroidery kits, hand-embroidered pouches and totes, naturally dyed Ajrak scarves and Khadi fabrics, and digital PDF patterns, produced with women artisans in Pakistan and shipped globally from Lisbon to individual craft and sustainable-fashion consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Heritage Textiles

NAICS

Sewing, Needlework, and Piece Goods Retailers (459130)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

DIY Craft Kits & Project Kits Retail (CRALACAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Needlepoint & Embroidery Shops (CRALADAE)

Keywords

• Heritage embroidery kits
• Natural dyed fabrics
• Hand-embroidered accessories
• Artisan textile crafts
• DIY craft patterns

Headquarters

HQ city

Barreiro

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. E-commerce Product Sales: Direct sales of physical products including embroidery kits, hand-embroidered pouches, bags, totes, fabrics, and craft tools through their Shopify-powered online store
2. Digital Pattern Downloads: PDF digital embroidery patterns sold as downloadable files for self-paced crafting projects

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Wenlin Studio sells heritage-inspired embroidery kits, downloadable PDF patterns, hand-embroidered pouch bags, travel pouches and totes, Ajrak naturally dyed cotton fabrics, khadi textiles, and hand-painted scarves, along with craft workshops. All products are produced in collaboration with artisans in Punjab and Sindh, Pakistan, using traditional Phulkari, Ajrak and Kantha/Gindi techniques, and shipped globally from Lisbon, Portugal.

Product overview

Wenlin Studio is a heritage-led textile design platform offering embroidery kits, hand-embroidered goods, naturally dyed fabrics, digital patterns, and craft workshops. The product portfolio centers on Phulkari embroidery, Ajrak printing (ancient natural dyeing method), and Kantha (Gindi) embroidery techniques, all reimagined in contemporary contexts. Core offerings include physical embroidery kits (Marine Life, A Celebration, Elephant & Garden, Chakor Banjara) and digital PDF patterns (Najme Phulkari, Marine Life, Gindi Needlebook, Neelam Tunic). The hand-embroidered collection features pouch bags, travel pouches, and Monika totes crafted by women artisans in Punjab and Sindh, Pakistan. Fabrics include Ajrak cotton prints and khadi cotton textiles, all naturally dyed. A collaboration line with Osei-Duro produces limited-edition embroidered pouches. The studio also offers workshops teaching Ajrak natural dyeing techniques.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Marine Life Embroidery Kit Step-by-step DIY embroidery kit with base fabric featuring marine-themed designs (corals, jellyfish, starfish, shells, fishes) that can be made into a cushion cover or framed tapestry.
• A Celebration Small Embroidery Kit Small embroidery kit inspired by Sainchi Phulkari from Punjab, featuring scenes from daily life and folklore with a person and bear as central motifs.
• Elephant & Garden Small Embroidery Kit Small embroidery kit featuring an elephant and two birds in a garden, inspired by Sainchi Phulkari from Punjab using freestyle stitching.
• Chakor Banjara Embroidery Kit Large embroidery kit inspired by Banjara embroidery traditions from Pakistan and India, featuring dense stitching, bold geometric patterns, vibrant cotton threads, and a stylized Banjara diamond central motif.
• PDF Najme Phulkari Embroidery Pattern Digital PDF embroidery pattern inspired by Sainchi Phulkari, 32x32 cm design using darning, satin, stem, couching, and cluster stitch techniques.
• PDF Marine Life Embroidery Pattern Digital PDF embroidery pattern featuring marine life within an embroidered feather-stitch grid, designed for a 35 x 45 cm panel.
• PDF Gindi Needlebook Digital Pattern Digital pattern for creating a hand-stitched needlebook inspired by Gindi stitching with layered fabric fragments and dense running stitches.
• PDF Neelam Zero Waste Tunic Dress Digital Pattern Digital pattern for a classic kurta-style tunic featuring a drawstring waist and V-neck with inverted stitched interfacing, designed with zero-waste principles.
• Hand Embroidered Pouch Bag Medium-sized hand-embroidered pouches available in over 30 designs, hand-embroidered by women artisans in Punjab, Pakistan with 100% cotton threads.
• Hand-Embroidered Large Travel Pouch Large travel pouches with hand-embroidered designs, metal zippers with recycled pullers, soft cotton lining, and interior organization pocket.
• Hand Embroidered Monika Tote Hand-embroidered totes crafted by women artisans in Punjab, Pakistan, fully lined with inner pocket, available in Peony and Black designs.
• Osei-Duro Collaboration Pouch Collection Limited edition hand-embroidered pouches co-created with Osei-Duro, made in Pakistan using Osei-Duro's fabric offcuts and embroidered by women artisans.
• Ajrak Cotton Fabrics Hand-printed cotton fabrics with wooden blocks and natural dyes using clay resist techniques, made by artisans of Sindh, Pakistan; includes Dots, Star, Marigold, Vine, Daisy, and Cutch patterns.
• Indigo Speckled Khadi Cotton Fabric Lightweight indigo khadi cotton woven with hints of speckled colorful yarn, woven in Kamalia, Pakistan; suitable for dressmaking or DIY projects.
• Ecru Stripes Khadi Cotton Fabric Lightweight ecru khadi cotton finely woven with thin stripes, smooth even texture, ideal for dyeing and embroidery projects.
• Chinese Mini Gold Embroidery Scissors Traditional Zhang Xiaoquan gold embroidery scissors with oversized loop handles and short sharp blades for crisp thread snips.
• Three Art Postcards Set of three A5-sized postcards featuring Red Sainchi Phulkari sampler, Thari embroidery bag, and Nola gouache painting, printed on 350 gsm matte card in Spain.
• Journeys Hand Painted Plant Dyed Art Scarf Hand-painted 63 x 63 cm 100% cotton scarf using the ancient Ajrakh dyeing method from Sindh, treated with tannin and painted with Madder and Iron.
• Inception Hand Painted Indigo Dyed Scarf Hand-painted 63 x 63 cm scarf made using the ancient Ajrakh dyeing method of Sindh, coated with clay and dyed two times in indigo, with hand-rolled hem.
• The Gindi Needlebook Hand-Stitched Textile Tool Kit Hand-stitched needlebook made with plant-dyed khadi fabric scraps and Gindi technique, layering fabric fragments with dense running stitches; includes scissors, embroidery skeins, thimbles, needles, and detachable pocket.
• Workshops Educational workshops including Ajrak natural dyeing and printing masterclasses taught by founder Gul E Raana, including sessions at cultural institutions such as Wereldmuseum Rotterdam.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Osei-DurocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLimited edition collaboration collection of hand-embroidered pouches. Pouches are made in Pakistan using Osei-Duro's fabric offcuts and embroidered by women artisans in Pakistan using traditional hand embroidery techniques with Wenlin Studio's contemporary designs on natural fabrics. The embroidered fabric is sewn into pouches by skilled sewers in Lahore, Pakistan.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sublime Stitching: Embroidery-focused brand selling patterns, kits and craft supplies with a contemporary-illustration aesthetic. Comparable in modernized embroidery positioning, digital PDF pattern offerings, and DTC craft kit model.
• Osei-Duro: Vancouver-based sustainable heritage textile brand producing naturally dyed and ethically made garments. Direct collaboration partner with Wenlin Studio on limited-edition pouches, similar size and artisan-made positioning, comparable customer base of conscious-fashion consumers.
• Mayamiko: Ethical fashion and homewares label producing artisan-made textiles and accessories in Malawi. Comparable in mission (artisan empowerment, heritage techniques, sustainable production) and product mix (embroidered accessories, naturally dyed fabrics).
• Anchal Project: Social enterprise producing artisan-made textiles and accessories with women artisans in India. Comparable in artisan-empowerment model, hand-stitched accessories, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce focus.
• Purl Soho: US-based specialty craft retailer selling kits, fabrics, notions and embroidery supplies via direct e-commerce. Comparable in curated craft-kit retail model and global shipping from a single distribution center.
• Merchant & Mills: UK-based retailer of sewing supplies, fabrics, patterns and craft kits for home dressmaking. Comparable in heritage-craft retail positioning, fabric and pattern offerings, and UK/EU DTC e-commerce model.
• Indego Africa: Artisan-made accessories and apparel brand working with women cooperatives in Rwanda. Comparable in ethical production story, handcrafted textile accessories, and sustainable-fashion positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Anokhi: Established Indian heritage textile brand with retail stores, museum shop presence and a wide range of hand-block-printed and embroidered apparel and homewares. Comparable in Phulkari/block-print heritage narrative but much larger scale with physical retail.
• Hobbycraft: UK's largest arts and crafts retailer with nationwide stores selling kits, fabrics, threads and sewing supplies. Comparable product categories (embroidery kits, fabrics, scissors) but mass-market positioning without Wenlin's heritage-authenticity differentiation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/wenlinstudio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wenlin-studio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wenlin Studio