Thank you for supporting our small business!
Our Mission
At Platypus Works, we stand for more than just quality crafts. We stand for supporting small businesses, amplifying marginalized voices, and creating a sustainable future. As a proud POC and female-owned establishment, we embark on a mission to infuse your daily rituals with purposeful products. Our heating/cooling therapy bags, bowl cozies, and face masks are more than crafts; they're a celebration of diversity and resilience.
Meet our Team!
Diana Wong, PhD
Meet Diana, the brilliant mind behind this crafting venture. Armed with a Bachelor's in Home Economics from UBC, an MBA, and a PhD in Strategy and Entrepreneurship, she created Platypus Works in 2020. Inspired by the mountains of British Columbia, she learned to quilt and loves to create with fabric. During the COVID-19 Epidemic, her skills blossomed into the wide array of crafts we see today.
Gracie Strobel
Gracie is the team's creative sunshine, contributing her expertise in marketing and coordination to drive the business's growth. Her interests include sustainable food systems and prison system rehabilitation. She especially loves the cherry pit therapy bags because they eliminate the food waste created by other non-electric heating pads.
Wayne Millette
Wayne is our customer relations specialist, weaving kindness and connection throughout interactions. He's passionate about encouraging the growth of small businesses. Though he's lived in Ann Arbor since 1996, Wayne is proud to be from Grenada, a small Caribbean island nation.
The Legend of the Platypus
Adapted from Aboriginal Art & Stories by Pauline McLead, 1994
The Aboriginal people tell the story of Gaya-dari the Platypus. Different groups of animals each felt they were more special than the others. When they saw that the shy Platypus did not belong to any one group, each approached the Platypus to join; as the Platypus shared unique characteristics with each of them. Mammals have fur and run across the land. Sea creatures could swim through the waterways. Birds could lay eggs. The Platypus resembled part of every group, creating confusion for him to decide where he belonged. Eventually, the Platypus called all the animals together to announce his decision. He thanked all of them, but decided not to join any group! The animals protested, but the Platypus explained: "I do not need a group to be unique, and neither do any of you. Each individual has qualities that make them special." All the creatures agreed. From that day on, the Platypus has been considered very wise and special.
Platypus Works earns its name through the recognition of the many talents of individuals and their abilities to adapt to changing times.