Precision Under Pressure

Explore the craft & courage behind STALEKS: a Ukranian nail tool brand that boasts success worldwide

ALEX FOX REPORTS

Founded 30 years ago in Kharkiv, Ukraine, the STALEKS nail tool brand has become synonymous with quality, precision, style and performance. Its tools are used by professionals in more than 100 countries, and its name is an industry go-to. The company has also stayed strong in the face of adversity and continues to evolve in changing landscapes.

“When Ukraine was invaded in February 2022, our priorities shifted overnight,” explains Sabina Tarawneh, STALEKS PR manager. “Until then, we had been focused on growth, new products and international expansion. Suddenly, the only questions that mattered were whether our staff members were safe and if we could preserve the company we had built together.”

With Kharkiv and the surrounding region under constant attack, production stopped and the company helped employees and their families relocate, while making the difficult decision to move part of its equipment to Vinnytsia, central Ukraine. “The relocation took around six weeks, and we had to rebuild production almost from the ground up,” shares Sabina. “At first, we resumed operations at only a fraction of our previous capacity, and accelerated the development of an additional manufacturing site in Poland. This was an important step in making our production more resilient, ensuring continuity of supply and strengthening our presence in Europe, while keeping Ukraine at the heart of STALEKS.

“That experience changed us profoundly,” Sabina continues. “It taught us to make decisions quickly, take responsibility beyond business results and never treat stability as guaranteed. Most importantly, it showed us the strength of our team. STALEKS continued working because its people refused to give up.”

Trust built tool by tool

With Europe as its largest market, the company boasts a production scale of over 11 million units per year across a portfolio of 700 products: quite the evolution from the 20-employee operation that started its journey. As Sabina cites: “In the first STALEKS workshop, the team sharpened, ground and polished manicure tools, with most of the work carried out by hand. The range was limited – just one model of nippers, scissors, tweezers and pushers. Yet even then, we had a clear ambition: to create sharp, precise and reliable tools.

“Our earliest clients were local nail professionals who brought us their tools for sharpening, and returned because they trusted the quality of our work. In a sense, they became our first product testers: their honest feedback helped a small sharpening workshop evolve into a manufacturer.”

Seizing the moment that emerged before them, the company saw a need for precision tools and pivoted into action. “It was not entirely accidental that we moved from sharpening to manufacturing,” reveals Sabina. “In the 1990s, Ukraine’s nail industry was still developing, and high-quality professional tools were extremely difficult to find. Sharpening gave us direct insight into how tools performed in real working conditions, and we naturally progressed from servicing tools to creating our own.”

One of the areas especially important to STALEKS is hygiene. “We have consistently advocated a simple principle: one client, one file,” relays Sabina. “This approach led us to develop disposable abrasive systems, including papmAm, which allows professionals to replace the abrasive quickly and visibly after every treatment, while retaining a durable base.

“To support salons that adopt this standard, STALEKS awards certificates confirming that they use papmAm files. This helps clients recognise responsible businesses and understand why single-use materials matter,” Sabina continues. “It’s an educational project designed to make safer practices the norm. The same philosophy applies to reusable instruments: we actively promote correct tool care, mandatory disinfection and sterilisation after every client, as well as professional maintenance and resharpening.”

Raising the standard

“Learning to manufacture at scale and build a brand were both challenging, however developing the brand was perhaps more complex,” Sabina explains. “Scaling production is demanding, yet it can be approached through engineering. Building trust across different countries is less predictable. Professionals need to feel the precision, comfort and reliability of tools in their hands, and we had to prove the same level of quality in every market. Ultimately, production allowed us to grow, but trust made STALEKS a global brand – and trust cannot be manufactured overnight. It is earned tool by tool, professional by professional.”

Expansion also grew in a careful, considered way, with Poland being the first international location to embrace the brand. “The country already had a dynamic professional nail industry, so specialists immediately understood the value of precise, durable tools that could withstand daily use,” says Sabina. “Our growth there was driven largely by word of mouth. Poland became an important gateway to the wider European market: it helped us better understand European expectations, build strong local partnerships and prove that a Ukrainian manufacturer can compete internationally.”

A symbol of resilience

Poland is also home to one of STALEKS’ manufacturing plants: a site that helped the company maintain continuity for its international partners after the events of February 2022. As Sabina reveals, the company’s ability to make quick and effective decisions during adverse times has proved significant: “Confidence increased gradually, as our team stayed connected, took responsibility and looked for solutions. We understood that if we could protect our people, relocate critical equipment and rebuild the essential processes, production could continue. That is why we moved part of our equipment and team from the Kharkiv region to Vinnytsia.

“We call our Vinnytsia factory a ‘symbol of resilience’ because it represents far more than a new production site,”

"We are proud that every tool tells a story of Ukrainian engineering, craftsmanship, entrepreneurship and resilience. "

Sabina adds. “It was created at a time when the future of the company – and the safety of our people – were under threat. The factory reflects the courage of those who left their homes but continued to work; the dedication of specialists who dismantled, transported and restarted equipment, and the support of the people in Vinnytsia.”

Stronger together

“We want nail professionals to choose STALEKS for the quality, precision and innovation of its products,” says Sabina. “We are proud that every tool tells a ‘‘ story of Ukrainian engineering, craftsmanship, entrepreneurship and resilience. A company’s true strength lies not in its equipment, buildings or plans, but in its people and the trust between them.

“We have learned that resilience is not simply the ability to endure; it is the ability to act without having all the answers, take responsibility and create stability for others while facing uncertainty. During such times, leadership becomes about humanity, honesty and the courage to keep moving forward together.

“Over the past 30 years, we have combined traditional craftsmanship with engineering, modern production technology and feedback from nail professionals,” continues Sabina. “Our equipment allows consistency, precision and the ability to produce at scale, but the expertise of our craftspeople remains essential. A machine can create the required geometry with remarkable accuracy, yet it’s the human hand that completes the most delicate stages: final sharpening, checking how cutting edges meet and assessing the smoothness of mechanisms. That is why we see technology and craftsmanship as complementary, rather than competing forces.”

STALEKS products are available via store.staleks.com

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