Our Story · Est. 2018
Our Story · Est. 2018
Our story
A hobby that grew into the largest platform for independent designers on the Silk Road: through markets, festivals, concept stores and the world stage.
Teplo begins as a love of knitting — a small yarn shop and knitting space, with the first pieces sold on Instagram.
“I started Teplo during my maternity leave, when I discovered knitting. I soon realised Tashkent lacked a modern knitting culture — from materials and knowledge to inspiration and community — so I decided to create it.”Charos Kamalova
Originally planned as a market dedicated entirely to knitting, Teplo's first event expands at the last minute to include independent makers from different creative fields. This unexpected pivot becomes the beginning of a much larger community.
The knitting space moves to the centre of Tashkent, while Teplo continues to grow its markets, audience and community of makers.
The knitting space closes during Covid-19, but Teplo continues through its markets — evolving into a platform focused on independent local brands.
Teplo stages its first large-scale festival and, in December, opens its first permanent concept store dedicated to local brands in Tashkent.
“Designers and artisans needed a permanent space to present their work. This was a gap in the market. My transition from the public sector to entrepreneurship started here.”Timur Kamalov
The festival grows to 150 vendors and 12,000 visitors across a single weekend.
As Teplo grows, the team begins formalising its operations and developing custom software to manage an increasingly complex multi-brand retail business.
The store doubles in size. A new 500 m² space welcomes 100 independent designers — a predominantly women-led community — and annual sales reach $1 million.
Teplo brings the Silk Road to London with a six-month pop-up in Soho and a place at the London Design Biennale — the first and only retail concept in the Biennale's history. The V&A invites Teplo to present its work on preserving craftsmanship.
Teplo launches its online marketplace with the support of Visa, opening the Silk Road to audiences everywhere.
A new concept store opens its doors in the heart of the Silk Road, in Samarkand, giving access to 70 independent designers.
Teplo begins developing its in-house software into a standalone product that helps independent designers run their businesses more efficiently.
Charos oversees the creative side of Teplo — responsible for collection curation, visual representation, media and communications.
Starting her journey as a crafter in 2018, Charos began supporting independent designers and artisans — work that organically grew into what is now Teplo. With a deep passion for women's economic empowerment and a strong understanding of the needs of designers and makers, together with Timur she has shaped Teplo into a platform that elevates creative talent and craftsmanship.
Before Teplo, Charos led several entrepreneurial projects in the tourism and education sectors and served as a Commercial Advisor at the British Embassy in Uzbekistan.
Today, she serves as a Non-Executive Board Member of the Youth Entrepreneurs Foundation (Incubator) under the Youth Agency of Uzbekistan, and is a mentor for the UK FCDO's Chevening Programme, supporting emerging leaders from across the region.
Timur leads operational management — looking after strategy, team, structure and processes.
Timur brings over 10 years of experience in the global impact sector. He has designed and led national and international programmes, delivering measurable benefits to millions of people. Prior to joining Teplo full-time, he advised governments, NGOs and philanthropic organisations on strategy, operational effectiveness and programme management.
Timur currently serves as a mentor for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Start-up Programme, supporting early-stage founders and emerging leaders.