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In 2009, Thomas Jaenisch and Felix Rohland, students from Bavaria, signed up for a student exchange program to be ski instructors in Japan for five weeks. While they spent their days teaching kids how to ski the evenings were pretty boring. There was no TV, and they didn’t bring any books. (To me that last one sounds crazy but then I take a book when I go anywhere just in case I get stuck.)
So, what to do on the long dark evenings? How about crocheting? A fellow ski teacher from Spain taught them how to crochet. Apparently the first hat they made took about eight hours and didn’t look that great. But they stuck with it and became better at it with every beanie.
When the program was coming to an end, they spent several days sightseeing in Tokyo donning their colorful handmade hats. Until two Australian tourists offered them money for those hats. They did indeed sell them the beanies and an idea got planted in their minds. Maybe crocheting hats could be a business.
They secured the domain www.myboshi.net and back in Germany, they founded their company and myboshi was born on March 1st. They still continued their studies, Rohland is a teacher and Jaenisch an industrial engineer, and pursued crocheting more on the side. Until they decided to go all in.
They invested in a professional website and hired many workers, mostly retired women who crochet at home, their Häkelomis (crochet grammies) They chose the name myboshi, because my would stand for everybody’s own hat, and boshi because it means Mütze or hat (like a beanie) in Japanese, paying tribute to their experience in Japan.
By now they have 30-40 employees, a store in Konradsreuth, a website where you can order customized beanies, myboshi-yarn, patterns, scarves, baby clothes, you name it. In 2014, Rohland and Jaenisch were nominated for the Gründerpreis (Founder Prize) in the category Aufsteiger (climber, ascenders). They have written several books and also expanded into knitting. But just like in the beginning, they still go to schools, department stores, crafting stores, and conventions to connect with their customers and do some crocheting. Their signature colorful beanies can be found around the world.
Where to find myboshi
myboshi 2.0 more than just beanies – crochet pattern book for beanies, scarfs, bags, gloves
If you are German, you can buy myboshi products from their website, or their shop on amazon.de. There is also an extensive number of pins on pinterest.
Do you crochet or knit? I’m more of a knitter myself and do enjoy cross stitch from time to time.
