Farbica Craft was founded by Draženka Kubat in 1998 and has been involved in the production of souvenirs and decorative items from the very beginning. The motifs used are mostly from our rich cultural heritage, largely traditional motifs that Farbica has upgraded in accordance with trends and time.
“I have always been involved in drawing and creating, this hobby was also a pocket money for me during my student days, and partly because of family circumstances I had started working from home and opened a business. We had started with just a half of a kitchen table, while today we have a workshop with four employees in a purchased house”, Draženka Kubat says.
“At the very beginning, we were mostly painting the ceramics which we have ever from the start been buying from domestic manufacturers, then we expanded to the painting glass and wood, and as our name says we always paint and use the various types of paints to breath the soul into different objects”, she adds.
Nine years ago, Draženka received the award for the design of the Christmas pine tree in Vienna, which was a gift from the city of Zagreb. She decorated the tree and made ceramic licitars (Croatian traditional souvenir) that later became her main product.
“In the last two years, we have started applying old Kajkavian sayings to bags, magnets, mugs and T-shirts, and my ‘Kajkavian bags’ have become one of my main products.”
In addition to traditional motifs, she also uses the more modern motifs of climate-friendly areas where those are sold. She customises souvenirs according to festive occasions and special events such as Spancirfest in Varazdin, She also constantly creates souvenirs for the tourist season and for the sale along the coast.
“We mainly do wholesale, and souvenirs can be found in larger souvenir shops along the coast, mostly in Dubrovnik, then at the Zagreb airport and in various souvenir shops, while we also have a permanent location outside of Lotrščak Tower in Zagreb”, she says while pointing out that she also exhibited abroad, at the Easter and Christmas Fair in Vienna and in Strasbourg where she participated as a representative of Croatia at their fair.
Draženka points out that she would love to expand beyond borders, but in its own time. “I’m very flexible and able to adjust to the demands and structures of the customers which have also changed a lot since first launching the craft. The creating of the products in the future depends on all of these as well”, she adds at the end of the conversation.
