Anja and Alen Marić were both were overwhelmed by the idea, and they realised that they wanted to develop it into something completely new and unique.

In December 2013 they opened an online shop with wooden watches, and as demand increased they decided to open their own real shop. Opened in April 2014 in Radovljica, it, became a great hit. They were aware that wooden watches are not a sufficient product range for an entire shop, so they offered other brands and products. In this way WoodWay was created. It brings together in one place the best producers of eco wooden products from Slovenia and abroad, while at the same time it creates its own trademark.

Wooden watches, glasses, rings, chains, bow ties, cuff links, wallets, bracelets, cigar or spectacle cases; various products made of cork such as handbags, wallets, jewellery – WoodWay is all these and even more: “WoodWay is a way of thinking, which is very simple and, at the same time, a unique novelty not just in Slovenia but also in foreign markets. It emerged as a response to an increasing awareness of the usefulness of products made from natural materials and the need to maintain a sustainable environment,” says Anja Marić, adding that in WoodWay wood and fashion meet at a higher level, and their products reflect concern for nature and responsible wood management.

Natural and unique
In their story they turn back to nature and through this they have approached customers and won them over. What do customers particularly like? “During the summer months they were mostly buying wooden sunglasses and watches, which are, however, attractive throughout the year. Our product range also includes wooden corrective glasses – interest in them has been markedly increasing. Recently, we have noticed that people’s awareness of natural and eco products has grown, since our customers are increasingly buying various cork products, in particular handbags and wallets. And what out of the great variety of products does Anja Marić prefer to wear? “I mostly carry a cork handbag, wooden watch and complement my style with a piece of wooden jewellery – so that I always have a piece of nature with me,” says the successful entrepreneur.

In addition to their own brand they also offer products of four Slovenian designers, in this way providing an opportunity for local designers of wooden fashion accessories. Most boldly coloured and reminiscent of summer is the TakQsi jewellery; the Kvičke Kvačke jewellery is fascinating and refined; all the magic and beauty of wood are expressed in the Lesem and Kosmač collection, while the WoodWay jewellery is plain yet elegant. They plan to expand their range with wooden home accessories – WoodWay Home. In their shops, they would like to bring together the best makers of wooden products for the home. “At WoodWay, we are working hard and keep looking for new producers and new ideas to enrich our product range,” says Ms Marić.

WoodWay expanding
Within a year, the successful entrepreneurs expanded their business from one to six shops in Slovenia. In May 2015 they also opened a shop in Umag, Croatia and another one in the Danish capital Copenhagen. “Our objective is to be present in every large city in the world. So we plan to expand to Singapore, London, Zagreb and Belgrade. Currently, we are investing our efforts in these locations and, at the same time, looking for new opportunities and new locations.” The first steps abroad proved to be very successful and, as they say, mainly owing to the fact that WoodWay offers something different, something that is a complete novelty abroad.

In their very first business year, the Marić couple recorded very good results. For this year, they plan a 600-700 percent growth and hope that the following year will be successful as well. “The secret to our success lies in constantly seeking new solutions, improvements, and learning from our own mistakes and failures, without letting them break us. We desire, we dare and do not despair. We have good ideas and people who believe in us and in our story,” notes Ms Marič.