Local Makers: Pig & Hen
Sailing to success
Hobby sailor Dominic Bakker (40) used to work in marketing for a fast-growing company that developed and sold ropework. His nautical hobby and his job coincided when he made himself a bracelet using sailing rope. “A friend of mine, Rutger Versluis, who worked in fashion, wanted one too,” Dominic shares. For Dominic, it was just a piece of rope with a knot, but Rutger wore it on his visits to fashion stores, which sparked conversations about the lack of men’s bracelets on the market.
“We should start a bracelet brand,” Rutger told Dominic. In 2013, the two launched a social media account filled with stylish bracelet images. The followers came flocking, and the week before Christmas, they announced that the first collection was available for order. With 10 orders by the end of the day, the business was officially born. Things took off from there—within six months, they were selling the bracelets in over 100 stores across the Netherlands, thanks to Rutger’s (fashion) connections.
Good luck charms
A successful bracelet brand needed a name that would make waves. In their search for a good story, Dominic and Rutger stumbled upon the symbolism behind sailor tattoos. Back in the day, sailors braved the vast oceans, their skin adorned with tattoos as good luck charms. One typical design was a tattoo of a pig and a hen. In those days, sailors often couldn’t swim, so when ships sank, most of their sailors drowned. But pigs and hens had better luck—they frequently washed ashore, safely floating in crates that kept them buoyant. Pigs and hens became symbols of good fortune, leading to the name of the bracelets: Pig & Hen.
Knotted Rope The entire production process takes place in a workshop in Amsterdam-Noord, using nautical rope from Portugal, among other places. The bracelets are still made the same way Dominic first used for fun. “We use a special sailing technique called splicing. When you tie a knot in a rope, you lose much of its breaking load, weakening the rope. That’s a shame, and it doesn’t look good either. With the splicing technique, you thread the rope's end back into itself. This creates the loop to which we attach the clasp. Thanks to this splicing technique, the rope of your bracelet will stay secure for a lifetime, and it looks great, too,” Dominic explains.
Across the Seven Seas
Now, ten years later, Pig & Hen is worn in over 50 countries, from Mexico to Korea. Business is booming. “We now have four co-owners—Rutger and I are the crazy creatives, while the other two are experts in handling the numbers and logistics. But despite all that wanderlust, one thing’s for sure, “We are an Amsterdam-based brand, and we will always stay in Amsterdam,” Dominic says.
The I amsterdam Store, your go-to shop for Amsterdam gifts, gives a platform to the stories of local makers like Pig & Hen. You’ll find us at the back of Central Station, in the IJ-hal.
