Armenian natural stone has long become part of the country’s image — from architecture and monuments to small items that can serve as distinctive carriers of Armenian culture beyond the country’s borders. Today, this sector is associated not only with stone production and processing, but also with the development of souvenir products, the preservation of cultural heritage, and the tourism industry.

How in demand are Armenian products on the market, what opportunities exist for companies working with natural stone and souvenirs, and can this sector become one of the tools for promoting Armenian culture in the world? Anzhela Manukyan, head of Mane Tiles, spoke about this on the air of the EconoMix program.

Against the global trend 

According to Manukyan, Mane Tiles has been operating since 2001, and initially its main areas were handmade products and stone mosaic. However, about seven years ago the company decided to diversify production, relying primarily on the talents of specialists who were already working within the company — artists, ceramists, and masters of various crafts.

“We realized that we could produce not only tiles, but also souvenirs, interior items, and home decor. At the same time, they can combine national ornaments and elements of the world’s cultural heritage,” says Anzhela Manukyan. 

According to her, the company’s concept largely runs counter to the global trend toward mass production. In the global market, manufacturers strive to scale up output and reduce costs in order to serve as many consumers as possible. As a result, traditional craft production is gradually disappearing.

“We have a different approach. We are a factory, but at the same time we preserve the principles of handmade work. First, we want to present Armenia to the world as a country of talent, where artisans possess a high level of skill and are capable of creating unique things. Second, we want to involve our society in this process — including as consumers. And most importantly, we try to reproduce the culture that existed here in the past, revive this heritage, and pass it on to future generations,” Manukyan says.

Between heritage and copyright

When creating products with national ornaments, the company faces not only the issue of their artistic interpretation, but also the need to confirm the origin of the elements used. According to Anzhela Manukyan, today there is no single centralized system in Armenia that clearly defines which ornament or element is Armenian and can be used as such.

“We try to understand as accurately as possible whether a particular element is indeed Armenian, whether it has been recorded in any archive as Armenian. This is also important because we face criticism from neighboring states. And the problem concerns not only us, but all manufacturers who work with Armenian elements and present them as Armenian ornaments,” says Manukyan.

A separate issue is copyright. To comply with it, the company is increasingly turning to specialized institutions that have databases on authors and their heirs. In particular, this refers to the National Gallery of Armenia and the Museum of Literature and Art, through which the company can identify rights holders and obtain permission to reproduce works and elements of cultural heritage.

At the same time, it is impossible to completely rule out cases of overlap with already existing copyrighted works. If an author objects to the use of a work, the company either stops reproducing it or tries to formalize cooperation through a memorandum or agreement. However, financial compensation for the author is far from always suitable: it increases the cost of production and, accordingly, limits the possibilities for its sale.

Tourism as a growth point for souvenir producers

According to Manukyan, tourism accounts for about 40–50% of sales. Therefore, she believes, it is fundamentally important for Armenian producers to create a high-quality product for tourists with carefully thought-out content. Despite the fact that tourists already generate a significant share of demand for these products, the company still does not have deep interaction with the tourism industry. 

“Unfortunately, today I see a great deal of products being sold in a kind of ‘vernissage’ format. Often, these are products presented as Armenian souvenirs, although in reality they have nothing to do with Armenian culture. As a result, the tourist leaves our country feeling somewhat deceived,” says Manukyan.

According to her, the problem goes far beyond the souvenir market. Tourism is largely an emotional sphere, and a person’s impressions directly influence how they will tell others about the country. After returning home, a tourist shares their impressions with relatives, friends, and acquaintances, so it is important that they leave Armenia with good emotions — regardless of whether they spent money on a souvenir, taxi, hotel, or another service.

In this process, Manukyan believes, both the companies themselves and the state structures responsible for tourism development should play an important role.

Cultural crafts as a separate branch of the economy

Manukyan believes that it is time for the state to view the production of souvenirs, handmade items, and products related to cultural heritage as an independent branch of the economy. Today, among the priority sectors, the state primarily highlights textiles, winemaking, IT, and other fields focused on development and scaling. However, in her opinion, there are other growing areas that do not necessarily have to become mass production in order to have economic significance.

“They can represent a separate industry simply because they shape the face of the country. When we travel to Italy, Spain, or Portugal and see a huge number of handmade items and souvenirs there, no one raises the question of whether they are mass-produced. The state helps ensure that these products are well presented to the tourist,” says Manukyan.

According to her, such products eventually become part of the associations linked to a particular country. It is precisely this goal, she believes, that should be set for Armenian manufacturers as well, so that when a tourist comes to Armenia, they do not simply take away a souvenir, but learn about the country’s history and culture through it.