As I’ve grown and expanded in my global awareness of extreme consumerism, I’ve started making more conscious choices, from what I eat to what I wear. Up until college and even a few years after, I was eating packaged, processed foods without any knowledge of the damage it was doing to my body and the Earth. Such is the same with clothing and accessories - I bought from places like Target, Express, Banana Republic and Forever21 for over 15 years, completely unaware of what goes on behind the scenes: sweatshops, landfill waste, contribution to pollution, among many others. Over years of traveling, it’s become increasingly important to me that the food, clothing and gifts I purchase for myself and my loves ones are sustainably and locally sourced, as much as possible.
If I’m in the Mediterranean, I want to eat hummus and olives from the local area, not shipped in from across the ocean. Same goes with souvenirs and gifts. If I’m buying a scarf for myself or a bag for a friend, I want to know it was crafted with love in that place and not “Made in China.” In my most recent trip to Peru, I saw many of the local style bags, sweaters and shoes that have been the style of Andean culture for years being taken over by low-quality Chinese imports. This really saddened me, as I’ve come to love the colors and styles of Peru. Seeing the imposter prints and colors inspired me to start creating relationships with artisans who hand-make their pieces with love, so I can support them and share their hard work with those who maybe haven’t been able to visit, but want to purchase high quality, genuine thoughtful craftsmanship.
**Please note that it is not my intention to make a profit off of selling these items. It’s my intention merely to share beautiful crafts from the countries I love. Other than covering the cost of shipping or the extra checked bag it took me to bring these pieces back to the States, I am not making any financial gain.
I do not believe in making money for someone else’s hard work.
This is an idea in progress, creating personal relationships with people who I know work hard and honest as I work to get an import/export license in order to work closer with them. Thank you for supporting these families!