A VISIT TO THE LAST REMAINING MANUFACTURER OF FABRIC FLOWERS IN AMERICA - With Rajiv Surendra

Rajiv Surendra β€’ October 25, 2025
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Rajiv Surendra

@rajivsurendra

About

Welcome to my channel! I've been immersed in the creative and domestic arts for all my life and it's a real honor to be sharing my interests with you. What You'll Find: Craftsmanship: Creative process with videos like Soap Making and Art Restoration Lifestyle/Home Design: Explore my Apartment Tour, and Organization Tour where I share tips and inspiration for creating beautiful, functional living spaces, and organizational tips like Marie Kondo. Travel: Join me on adventures such as the Walking Tour of Soho, NYC where I explore the vibrant culture and hidden gems of the city. Personal Development: Mental Health and self-care Unique Skills: From Polishing Shoes to intricate calligraphy basics Contact: For business inquiries, sponsorships/brands, and collaborations, please reach out to me at: [email protected]

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M&S Schmalberg Flowers was founded in 1916 in New York City and is the last manufacturer of fabric flowers in America. Join me as I tour this fascinating workshop! For anyone interested in visiting, the address is: 242 W 36th St. #700, New York, NY 10018 http://www.customfabricflowers.com/ https://schmalbergflowersnyc.etsy.com/ Thank you to Adam Brand for the tour! https://www.rajivsurendra.com/pages/shop πŸ”΄ RECOMMENDED VIDEOS/PLAYLISTS πŸŽ₯ VIDEO: My Updated Apartment Tour: https://youtu.be/cwurWeffwNA πŸŽ₯ VIDEO: MY NYTimes Storage Organization Tour: https://youtu.be/XmYKT21Oi54 πŸŽ₯ VIDEO: Tidying Your Mind: https://youtu.be/2-cyLX2eAn0 πŸŽ₯ VIDEO: How to Wash your Whites: https://youtu.be/R87SIgGC20k πŸŽ₯ VIDEO: Wrapping Gifts Using No Tape: https://youtu.be/vm3dR4jhImU πŸŽ₯ VIDEO: How To Walk In Public: https://youtu.be/J8ekcTmj9SI πŸŽ₯ LIST: Rajiv Surendra's Playlist Season 1: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8oeCSojnMR42JWN44vX_hmJ0xCF1ZLG- β˜… TABLE OF CONTENTS β˜… β€’ 0:00 | Introduction to America's Last Flower Factory β€’ 1:02 | MNS Schmalberg: 4th Generation Family Business Since 1916 β€’ 1:34 | The Golden Age of Hat Flowers in New York City β€’ 2:26 | Last Remaining Flower Manufacturer in the United States β€’ 2:51 | The American Dream: Morris and Sam's Journey from Poland β€’ 3:33 | Handmade vs Mass-Produced: The Michaels Difference β€’ 4:48 | Custom Flower Crafting for Fashion Designers and Public β€’ 6:07 | Every Flower Made by Hand in This Building β€’ 6:58 | The Flower-Making Process Begins: Selecting Fabric β€’ 7:33 | Sizing the Fabric: The Secret Starch Solution β€’ 9:17 | Natural vs Chemical: Old-World Techniques Revealed β€’ 10:36 | Stretching Fabric on Vintage Wooden Frames β€’ 12:21 | The Art of Layering: 8 to 24 Layers Depending on Fabric β€’ 13:26 | From Mallets to Machines: Evolution of Die Cutting β€’ 15:12 | The Clicker Machine Demonstration β€’ 17:17 | Vintage Die Collection: Hundred-Year-Old Tools Still in Use β€’ 18:24 | Can Any Flower Be Made? The Answer Might Surprise You β€’ 19:47 | Gas Press History and Modern Adaptations β€’ 21:00 | Pressing Petals: Heat, Pressure, and Starch Combined β€’ 23:09 | Electric Presses for Production Orders β€’ 25:07 | What Happens When Silk Flowers Get Wet β€’ 26:29 | True Silk Flowers vs Plastic "Silk" Flowers β€’ 27:41 | Hand Assembly: Seeds, Stems, and Glue Techniques β€’ 29:03 | Creating Petal Ties and Carnation Brooches β€’ 31:04 | The Delicate Art of Making Rose Buds β€’ 32:16 | Meet Miriam: Retired Then Came Back for the Love of Flowers β€’ 34:02 | Master Craftswoman Demonstrates Rose Bud Construction β€’ 36:35 | Final Assembly: From Individual Petals to Complete Flowers β€’ 37:18 | The Real Silk Test: Fire Don't Lie β€’ 38:08 | Custom Projects: Recreating Historical 1800s Flowers β€’ 38:37 | Heirloom Fabrics: Turning Saris and Wedding Dresses into Flowers β€’ 39:06 | Sentimental Flower Ideas: First Date Shirts to Wedding Bouquets β€’ 40:07 | Visit Information: 242 West 36th Street, 7th Floor NYC πŸ’‘ TOPICS IN THIS VIDEO πŸ’‘ β€’ MNS Schmalberg Flowers β€’ Last Flower Factory in America β€’ Garment District NYC β€’ Handmade Artificial Flowers β€’ Vintage Flower Making β€’ 1916 New York Fashion β€’ Family Business Heritage β€’ Traditional Craftsmanship β€’ Fabric Flower Construction β€’ Natural Starch Sizing Techniques β€’ Vintage Manufacturing Tools β€’ Die Cutting Process β€’ Wooden Frame Fabric Stretching β€’ 100 Year Old Equipment β€’ Mallet vs Clicker Machine β€’ Steel Rule Dies β€’ Custom Flower Design β€’ Chrysanthemum and Daisy Dies β€’ Gas Press vs Electric Press β€’ Heat Molding Petals β€’ Silk vs Synthetic Flowers β€’ Authentic Silk Flowers β€’ Fabric Selection and Layering β€’ Hand Assembly Techniques β€’ Rose Bud Construction β€’ Petal Tie Method β€’ Carnation Brooch Making β€’ Master Flower Artisans β€’ Heirloom Fabric Flowers β€’ Wedding Dress to Flowers β€’ Sari Flower Conversion β€’ Custom Fashion Flowers β€’ Theatre Costume Flowers β€’ San Francisco Opera Commission β€’ Made in America Manufacturing β€’ Sustainable Fashion Accessories β€’ Non-Toxic Natural Glues β€’ Victorian Era Millinery β€’ Historical Costume Recreation β€’ Fashion Designer Resources β€’ Artisan Craft Preservation β€’ Inside America's LAST Flower Factory | 108-Year-Old Family Business Making Handmade Silk Flowers in NYC If you enjoy Rajiv's videos and would like to see more, please contribute to the gofundme campaign that is raising the funds to produce the content on this channel: https://gofund.me/fbcb3a22 βœ… Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/rajivsurendra βœ… TikTok: http://www.tiktok.com/@Rajivsurendra_ βœ… Twitter: http://twitter.com/RajivSurendra πŸ”΄ *** ABOUT THIS CHANNEL *** Welcome to my YouTube Channel! I've been immersed in the creative and domestic arts for all my life and its a real honor to be sharing my interests with you. Click here to subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/rajivsurendra πŸ”Ž HASHTAGS #artisanmade #rajivsurendra #diy

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