Holiday sparkle and shine

Sanctions cannot destroy a miracle: we visited the only Christmas tree decoration factory in Belarus

Bunnies and bears strewn with glitter, cartoon dolls and cars — in the first minutes it seems that you are in a fairy tale. Moreover, at the Grai enterprise they are sure that this is just like that. The thing is that the products produced here are timed to coincide with the most favourite celebration of most adults and children — the New Year. Which means it creates a mood. The country’s only factory of Christmas tree decorations is now working hard to fill store shelves with the symbol of the coming year — the Dragon. And these are not all new items. We saw with our own eyes what will appear on the Christmas trees of Belarusians on New Year’s Eve, and met those who create this beauty.

ILYA SHVEDKO

Baubles instead of magnets

Most workshops are quiet, everyone is busy with their own things at the Christmas tree decorations factory. Everything is clear, harmonious, and results-oriented. The enterprise itself can be called young: it is only eight years old. But it turned into a monopolist in a relatively short time. At the same time, the quality is at its best, which is why no one dared to compete.

We manoeuvre around the workshops, and Director Andrei Begun talks about the brainchild. The idea didn’t just come out of nowhere. Many years before this, a Minsk resident brought New Year’s decorations from different countries. The collection grew to such a scale that he wanted to show it to the world. Now, every December, visitors to the National History Museum are introduced to exhibits from the Congo, Peru, Indonesia, New Zealand, Australia and dozens of other countries.

Seeing that New Year’s decorations arouse genuine interest, the decision to create domestic production came naturally. So, in 2015, the Grai factory appeared. Now they produce more than 300 thousand units of products per year. And this is just the beginning.
“If you count, about 1,500 decorations come out per day. Each one is unique in its own way. There are things that have been popular for years, for example, bullfinches. And there are decorations that seem to be selling out, but we don’t see any obvious excitement. Then we come up with something new. After all, if you don’t surprise the consumer, he will find an alternative,” Director says.
What are they going to do this year? Firstly, a symbol of the coming year. According to the eastern calendar, the Dragon dominates the coming 12 months. They decided to release it in several variations. Such things are made mainly from polyceramics. It takes a professional about five minutes to cast the product. 

aleksei stolyarov

Brilliant finale

When ready, the semi-finished products are sent to the varnishing shop, where they are painted with an airbrush. This is where the fun begins — decorations gain individuality. The main outline is drawn along which the artist will subsequently work. Vitaly Mikhasev shares the wisdom of the craft. Together with other specialists, he applies a certain composition to the decorations and leaves them to dry, “I mix the varnish and hardener in a one-to-one ratio and spray it through a gun. I hold the decoration with tongs away from my face; if anything happens, I have a protective helmet. When everything is done, the decoration dries. After 10 hours it can be transferred to the art workshop.”
This is where the real magic happens. The craftsmen have dozens of identical New Year’s products in front of them. They are painted by hand. All you need is a brush, special paints and... training. Coming to the workshop, artists first get their hands on simple decorations — those that do not have an abundance of parts. Then they take on more difficult jobs.
In general, artists at an enterprise are worth their weight in gold. As a rule, these are graduates of the Minsk College of Crafts. They go to the factory for the first time through practice, and after training, the most talented ones are invited to join the staff.

ILYA SHVEDKO

We’ll leave the trends for others

The ideal formula by which you can calculate a popular decoration has not yet been invented. Andrei Begun explains, 

“It makes no sense to chase trends in other countries, because Belarusians have a different mentality. We are closer to Father Frost, not the foreign Santa Claus. Many people are impressed by decorations reminiscent of Soviet childhood: houses, cones, snowmen. It’s difficult to change this, and is it even necessary? Therefore, we make good decorations, understandable and relatable images. And we’ll leave the trends to those who are chasing immediate success. We work for a long time — for quality and results.”

New markets

Of course, it all starts with an idea. Without it, you won’t be able to create a worthwhile decoration. First, a new product is developed using 3D modelling. Afterwards, special silicone moulds are made for it, into which the workpiece will be cast. But the company does not disclose the recipe for the solutions. Just like they don’t talk about some equipment.
They supply decorations throughout Belarus; products are available in any major department store in the country. 

Now the company has more than 500 individual items — these are decorations made of polyceramics, glass and plywood, and corporate gifts. The products are popular on marketplaces and are sold in Russia. Moreover, the largest consignments are sent there. The demand for Belarusian Christmas tree decorations has always been high there. It increased even more when Ukraine refused supplies. Russians liked Belarusian products so much that they will be presented in Moscow’s GUM in the new year. This is a success!

What about sanctions? There are some difficulties — now they have to pay more for paint. On the other hand, domestically produced wooden packaging now costs less, so you can save money on its purchase. Moreover, there are plans to increase co-operation, in particular, together with the Bellesbumprom concern, the company plans to make paper filler for boxes to ensure the safety of products. There are also immediate plans to build our own heat-blowing production facility in Russia. It will be launched next year.

ALEKSEI STOLYAROV

New Year’s wish

Despite the fact that Christmas tree decorations are bought closer to the New Year, the business cannot be called seasonal. In fact, such products are produced all the time. The only difference is that at the beginning of the year, in-line products are made, including for export, and at the end, more corporate orders arrive and gift sets are prepared.
Some technologies that were developed at the factory are trying to be borrowed by enterprises with a similar focus. Director adds, “I have been asked many times whether the business is worth the effort I put in. I always answer that I love my job. Not everyone can take on New Year’s decorations: the niche is too narrow. Bringing such production to a high level so that, with all the variety of choice, they buy our products is an ambitious goal. When I meet Santa Claus, I will definitely ask you to fulfil your dream in the new year: so that the factory continues to develop and give people joy.”

ILYA SHVEDKO

By Olga Nevmerzhitskaya