Eid time and the annual Hajj pilgrimage brings muslim businesses together

Richmond, VA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 11/06/2013 -- With the end of the Eid season and after being named a top trending start-up by the American Muslim Consumer Conference, Silver Envelope, the Islamic Stationery and Party company, is announcing a new collaboration with My Halal Kitchen, one of the foremost voices in the world on halal food. As part of this collaboration the two companies are committed to bringing fun, engaging and collaborative products to the halal food and islamic party market.

Ms. Smith, founder of Silver Envelope explains, "People love halal food and people love celebrating. It is a natural combination. We can't think of a better and more engaging partner than Yvonne and My Halal Kitchen. For years My Halal Kitchen has shown it's commitment to our community as a relentless and exciting voice in the halal food community. I really believe collaborations with like-minded friends will drive our entire Ummah (community) forward. A foundational hadith for me and one that helps guide our business is, "Faithful believers are to each other as the bricks of a wall, supporting and reinforcing each other." We only succeed if we all succeed. Our collaboration with Yvonne and My Halal Kitchen is a first step towards that goal."

Ms. Maffei, CEO of My Halal Kitchen, relays her own enthusiasm for this new collaboration, "I absolutely love working with Raana, the incredibly creative mind behind Silver Envelope, masha'allah. She's a complete joy to work with, she is so open to new ideas and has an eye for beautiful design- that alone enticed me to want to collaborate on the creation of Silver Envelope products. What is so exciting is we get to create things that have never been done before that can bridge cultural divides and also empower our own community through fun and engaging products."

As a first part of this collaboration, Silver Envelope and My Halal Kitchen have produced a line of Sweet Dawah Kits, cupcake and cookie educational kits which are both festive and educational. They cover four holidays and topics: Eid al-Adha, Eid al-Fitr, Islam and Ramadan. Ms. Maffei adds, "The Sweet Dawah Kits are the perfect marriage between the homemade versions I've been creating for years and Raana's ability to bring our design ideas to fruition and into a product that can be offered to friends and neighbors. What is so exciting is that now there is actually something available for all of us to give to those who don't quite know about our traditions and learn about them in a very beautiful way. It's the way I had always dreamed we could do it! "

Ms. Smith chimes in on the future, "We have had such a good time collaborating so far, can't wait to see what the future brings. I believe the people who best know what the needs of our Ummah (community) are people from within our Ummah. To disconnect our deen from our products is to lose the soul of our products and the purpose for which they were created. Working with Yvonne, who has such a strong sense of purpose and community, has been such a blessing."

About Silver Envelope:

Silver Envelope is the nation's first Islamic Party & Stationery company founded in 2001. The company is based in the United States and Qatar. Recently named a top 5 trending start-up by the American Muslim Consumer Conference, the company offers fun, elegant and modern Islamic party products and gifts that make Islamic holidays more fun. Featured in the Huffington Post, Disney Baby and the Chicago Tribune among others, Silver Envelope seeks to bridge old and new Islamic traditions and bring practical party solutions for modern muslim families.

About My Halal Kitchen
My Halal Kitchen is the leading online resource for halal cooking, food information and lifestyle inspiration available to halal foodies and Muslim consumers. The company was started in 2008 by publisher and food blogger Yvonne Maffei to create public awareness about the availability of quality halal products and resources, as well as halal alternatives for cooking and baking ingredients. Her site and her recipes have been featured in CBS, Forbes, The Huffington Post, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, CNN's Eatocracy, Ad Week, and NPR. The company aims to provide home cooks with the tools to prepare wholesome halal meals, information on DIY projects, crafting and celebrating what matters most to muslim and other conscientious consumers.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Silver Envelope, the Islamic Party & Stationery Company, presents Eid in-a-Box and Ramadan Iftar in-a-Box party solutions

Richmond, VA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 08/08/2013 -- With it's latest Ramadan & Eid collections, Silver Envelope is adding a new twist on how Muslims plan for and celebrate Islamic holidays. Founded in 2001, the nation's first Islamic Party & Stationery company is now offering all-in-one party kits that offer everything from greeting cards and gift wrap to halal food kits, party games and decorations. "Parents expressed to us the many practical challenges of Ramadan. Whether it is juggling working a 9 to 5, shuttling the kids around to different activities or school, fasting, cooking meals or planning Eid and Iftar parties, our community is looking for solutions to these problems. We created this year's Ramadan and Eid party products specifically with this in mind," explains founder Raana Smith.

Renowned for having worked with cutting-edge Islamic designers like Peter Gould and established calligraphers like Haji Noor Deen, the last few months have seen the company go in new and innovative directions including collaborations with My Halal Kitchen on halal party products and Australian designer Iva Izman on Islamic home decor items. In a recent Huffington Post article Ms. Smith relayed her enthusiasm for what is happening, "We are targeting people who are looking to revive the Islamic spirit, who are looking to create their own American traditions grounded in Islam, who want to help children get excited about being Muslim through fun products and characters."

As a recent study by Dinar Standard illustrated, over 70% of American Muslims want to have companies acknowledge Islamic holidays. Ms. Smith emphasizes her belief that Muslim owned and operated businesses are ready to respond. "We all have the ability to do something special here. I really believe we are at the cusp of something beautiful and amazing. There is an immense desire among Muslims in the West and across the world, to celebrate holidays, to feel proud in who they are and to communicate to the rest of the world the many Ramadan and Eid traditions that make our community so diverse and inspiring."

Coming on the heels of new events around the country and the increasingly collaborative networks that have emerged from conferences such as ISNA (Islamic Society of North America), AMCC (American Muslim Consumer Conference) and Reviving the Islamic Spirit, Silver Envelope is part of a shift of energy and excitement in the Islamic community. "From my perspective the rapid and sudden emergence of muslim businesses is a huge cause for celebration and we count ourselves lucky to be a part of such a movement of individuals and ideas. It's been a very empowering feeling to watch a movement of mom and pops, muslimahs, brothers, and sisters sprouting up with crafty, catchy ideas and inspired businesses," Ms. Smith adds.

In light of her new products and the growth of products to in the community she was recently asked about the increasing commercialization of Ramadan and the dangers associated with it. She emphasizes the importance of ideas and products coming from within the community. "There is some appropriate fear that Islamic holidays will be commercialized by companies that are interested strictly in widgets and the bottom line. I think it is an important conversation to have. I believe the people who best know what the needs of our community are, are people from within the community. In my mind, it is important that any changes come from within our communities and are not imposed on us from the outside. Our faith, our holidays, and how we celebrate them are so intertwined. Disconnecting where the products come from and the motivations for them from our own practice and faith is not the future I see or hope for."

About Silver Envelope LLC
Silver Envelope is the nation's first Islamic Party & Stationery company founded in 2001. The company is based in the United States and Qatar. Recently named a top 5 trending start-up by the American Muslim Consumer Conference, the company offers fun, elegant and modern Islamic party products and gifts that make Islamic holidays more fun. Featured in the Huffington Post, Disney Baby and the Chicago Tribune among others, Silver Envelope seeks to bridge old and new Islamic traditions and bring practical party solutions for modern muslim families.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm