Our Story
Founders, Ami and Melissa, circa 2008
Early Memari prototype
Memari, a blanket for the ages
Founders, Ami and Melissa, circa 2008
During a winter stopover in Denver, Ami realized something every parent eventually does: the things our children love most don’t travel well.
Her daughter’s blanket was in the car, the hotel’s replacement was scratchy and oversized, and in that quiet, exhausted moment, Ami wondered: why are the things our children love most designed to be temporary? What if a blanket could begin small, and grow beautifully over time? Why do baby blankets start small, wear thin, and get left behind? What if a blanket could grow with a child instead?
A few weeks later, Ami shared the story with her longtime friend Melissa. They laughed about the near-midnight impulse to “just cut a piece off the hotel comforter” and then they stopped laughing. Because the idea lingered.
Early Memari prototype
What if baby blankets didn’t have to be outgrown? What if four thoughtfully designed pieces could stand alone in the early years and later connect seamlessly into something larger, a quilt worthy of keeping?
The vision was deceptively simple: clean lines, intentional proportions, invisible connection points. A system that felt effortless, even if the engineering behind it was anything but.
This wasn’t about adding another blanket to the nursery.
It was about rethinking its entire lifespan.
Memari, a blanket for the ages
In her research, hemp kept rising to the top. One of the most sustainable fibers on earth, naturally breathable, and built to last. That discovery eventually brought them to a weaving mill in India, where they spent more than two years developing a custom 55% hemp and 45% cotton blend.
Today, Memari stands for a different kind of consumption—one where products are built for decades, not months. Our patented design represents a tangible shift toward a more conscious world where nothing is wasted and comfort is kept. It is a beautiful, enduring sense of security designed to stay with your family through every stage, age, and new beginning.
Ami and Melissa through the years
Women Owned. Mother Made.
Ami Shah
Ami Shah is a strategist, former diplomat, and co-founder of Memari, who took Melissa’s advice, shared over 20 years ago, to build a life that reads like a great book. Her chapters have spanned continents and boardrooms, eventually leading her to Memari, a venture rooted in the belief that design should be both thoughtful and enduring. Now, a mother of two, her work sits at the intersection of function, beauty, and creative innovation, transforming everyday essentials into lasting objects. She lives in Maryland with her family, where the negotiations are now less diplomatic, but no less meaningful.
Melissa Riggs
Melissa Riggs is a visual creative, former international development manager, and co-founder of Memari who specializes in bringing structure to complexity. After two decades of friendship with Ami, building a brand together rooted in thoughtful design and lasting impact felt inevitable. She approaches every challenge from a different angle, an instinct that serves her well in creative innovation and as a mother of two. Melissa lives on a farm in Maryland with her family and a rotating cast of dogs, where early mornings and evening dance parties define the rhythm of home.
Our Values
crafted By Hand
Each blanket passes through careful hands and rigorous testing. We don't rush the work because a Memari blanket isn't meant to be quick—it's meant to be forever.
Woven to Last
Hemp fibers are naturally strong and only get softer with washing. A Memari blanket won't pill, fade, or lose its shape no matter how many times it's washed or loved.
Sustainably made
We prioritize materials that last longer and wear in beautifully, not out. Every component is chosen for durability, low impact, and long‑term use. Developed with a weaving mill in India, our custom 55% hemp and 45% cotton blend is made to stay in rotation for years, not seasons.
Woman Owned
Founded by two mothers who turned a real parenting moment into thoughtful design. Every choice reflects lived experience, resulting in products shaped by care, intuition, and everyday practicality.
