BAG and Pan Handmade plays on an old Jamaican saying, “bag and pan,” used to describe someone walking around with many bags and packages.

The phrase was fitting for founder Davia Hinds, who started the business in 2018 with bags but quickly expanded into everything else, from beaded accessories to handmade polymer clay jewellery. By 2020, working from her home in Montego Bay, she began to take the brand more seriously, crafting authentic Jamaican-themed pieces that caught the eye of women who are both earthy and stylish, seeking statement jewellery that no one else is seen in.

“I’ve been doing it since childhood. I have a Rasta uncle that used to do that, and when I was in primary school, I developed an interest, and he taught me from there,” Hinds told the Jamaica Observer during an interview.

She started with waist beads and other beaded jewellery, then moved into different creative products before transitioning to bags, which inspired the business name. The idea was not just to make bags but other things with a Jamaican flair to show it’s more than just bags. Today, she focuses on using polymer clay to make jewellery. Polymer clay is a type of oven-bake modelling clay made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and plasticisers. It is soft and mouldable before baking and can be shaped into different forms, created in a variety of colours, or mixed to make unique patterns. Once baked, it hardens and is not easily broken. With each piece delicately and precisely moulded and baked, Bag and Pan makes it clear that its target audience is those seeking premium, naturally made jewellery.

“It’s not for those looking for budget buys,” she explicitly stated. “I put my own creative spin to make it unique.”

The material was something she discovered online, along with the techniques, and she notes that the time it takes to craft can span days and up to a week for bulk orders. Focusing on everything else that “pan” encompasses, she registered the business in 2021 and made jewellery the core.

Hinds, who was previously employed in the BPO sector until September last year, has now completed her first year as a full-time entrepreneur. She explained that after repeated conflicts in the workplace that left her questioning her career path, the stress outweighed the pay cheque. Choosing instead to take a chance on herself, she leaned on her support system and the savings she had built over the years. While she explored many creative endeavours, Hinds said jewellery-making resonated most with customers, which encouraged her to stick with it. The low start-up cost of materials also meant the business faced fewer losses and challenges compared to other ventures. Today, pop-up shops remain her largest source of income, providing direct access to customers who are drawn to her hand-crafted pieces.

“Anywhere where people are out and about and looking to shop, I try to be there,” she told the Sunday
Finance.

Participation in the Tourism Enhancement Fund’s annual Christmas in July event opened new doors for Bag and Pan. Out of the showcase came partnerships with Skylark Negril Beach Resort and Rockhouse by 2023, along with opportunities to place products in Craft Cottage at Southdale Plaza, Things Jamaican store at Devon House, Fontana Waterloo, and even Sangster International Airport. Despite these retail partnerships, the business continues to operate primarily online through its website and Instagram account. Earrings remain the most demanded product, particularly among women seeking creative, statement pieces shaped like hummingbirds, ackee, and designs in the Jamaican colours. Floral styles also sell steadily, prized for their uniqueness and versatility to pair with many outfits.

Based in Montego Bay, a major tourism hub, Bag and Pan is seeking to capitalise on its authenticity. The brand envisions a paint-and-sip workshop experience using polymer clay, targeting tourist areas where visitors can create their own key chains and trinkets. Its first event took place last month with a group of ten participants, and Hinds believes it marks the beginning of a new avenue to diversify revenue streams.

Hand-crafted polymer clay earrings inspired by Jamaica’s culture and fruits.

Bright, bold, and bursting with colour, handmade earrings that steal the spotlight.

Natural tones and organic shapes define these Bag and Pan Handmade earrings.Natural tones and organic shapes define these Bag and Pan Handmade earrings.

Bag and Pan Handmade marks Emancipation Day with floral earrings in black, green, and yellow to represent gold.

Owner and creator of Bag and Pan Handmade Davia Hinds.

Former Miss World Toni-Ann Singh showcases Bag and Pan Handmade’s statement star earrings.

Handcrafted polymer clay flower earrings from Bag and Pan Handmade.