Our Story
The People Behind Gav N Sav
It all started with the curiosity of two young children, Gav and Sav, to create a brand for themselves. In the beginning, it wasn’t about pen wraps or any handsewn item but more of a child’s play and a blossoming entrepreneurial spirit, perhaps inspired by some learning from school. As they got older, their ideas were abandoned when they found new things to occupy themselves with. But more than just their ordinary playful ways, the combination of their names was catchy enough to linger and be built into the brand that is now.
The Start of the Pen Wrap
In 2014, our family faced a crisis when a child was diagnosed with a disability. Later on, in that same year, we lost the pillar of our home. With faith, prayers and support from family and friends, I quit my 15 plus years old day job to look after the children. And in those difficult times, crafting became my haven to withdraw to.
In December of 2014, our first handcrafted pen storage was created. It was given to the person who helped (and continuously does so to this day) send the kids to school. It was also our very first product to gain entry into the local Fountain Pen Group. And the rest as they say is history.
Crafting a New Dream
I have always been attracted to arts and crafts but not necessarily attentive to it full time. My crafting skill was limited to making personalized gift items for people close to me but most of all for myself to enjoy. I’ve always loved working on beads, different fabrics, ribbons and other materials. I’d often buy books and magazines, hoard fabrics among other things, and would try different arts and crafts. Moreover, I have always wanted to own and open up a craft store. But a day job kept me busy and with just the store remaining as just a dream.
However fate took a turn for my dreams to be realized. So, it is, that the once hobby and refuge from problems paved the way for a new skill to be born, and a new dream to slowly take form.What’s even more amazing is that this hobby helped in supporting the operations of the center we’ve put up for children with special needs until its closure at the start of the pandemic. As we slowly come back to our pre pandemic state, we once again revisit our vision to see where it could further lead us to.
The Birth of the Online Shop
From the first time we’ve handcrafted pen storages to sell to local fountain pen enthusiasts in 2015 and all through the years, we continued to sew small hand sewn gift ideas especially fountain pen friendly pen wraps and notebook sleeves at every break and opportunity that we had.
The massive support and welcome plus reviews and feedback gave us excitement and confidence to keep going on. Finally, after seven long years, we were able to build an inventory that is enough to open our online store.
From the small room in our home, we welcome you to our new website where you can easily navigate, browse, order and own one of our creations. Know that with every product you buy from us, it gives us new hope to forge on the new dream - to not only provide you with quality products for your fountain pens and hobby but more importantly create jobs in the future when we are ready to operate outside of our home.
Looking back with gratitude, we wouldn’t have gone this far if not for the encouragement and support we’ve received from various people. Special mention goes to my brother-in-law, Caloy, who first introduced us to the wonderful world of fountain pens and friends.
To our local fountain pen group, Fountain Pen Network-Philippines especially the MODs, The Manila Pen Show administrators and supporters, and everyone else around the world who owns one of our creations, maraming salamat po!
Thank you to all our followers in IG and those who featured our products and tagged us in IG feeds and stories. Thank you to all those who wrote articles and reviews about our products. You are all appreciated. We also wish to express our heartfelt thanks to Leigh Reyes who gave us the opportunity for one of our products to debut in its very first Pen Show outside of the Philippines in 2018
Finally, we would like to acknowledge the team who worked very hard to put this online shop together.
Salamat! It is our hope that you continue to support us as we grow online.
Much love,
Lara
