One of the things I love most about my job is discovering new brands that have made it their mission to use their business to help someone in someway. TOMS was a trailblazer in the give back business model and when I started our partnership with them six years ago, it really changed the way I structured my business. It's what helped mold Green Roost into what it is now and changed our concentration on earth-friendly gifts to a bigger picture goal of working with on brands that focus on social-responsibility, giving back and ethical business practices.
That being said, I'm so excited about our new partnership with ABLE, a lifestyle brand focused on ending generational poverty through providing economic opportunity for women. Their collection of hand crafted leather bags is what caught my eye, but their story is what really drew me in.
Here's their story in their own words:
While living in Ethiopia, Barrett Ward saw firsthand how extreme poverty forced young women, generation after generation, to resort to prostitution as a means of supporting themselves and their families.
The goal was to provide an alternative that would give these women an opportunity to earn a living, empowering them to end the cycle of poverty that kept them trapped. Armed with multiple studies illustrating how the employment of women benefits and strengthens the entire community, the ABLE team set out on a mission to end generational poverty, one job at a time.
ABLE has grown from producing a single collection of hand-woven scarves to a one-stop shop for ethical fashion, offering leather goods, handmade jewelry, denim, clothing and footwear. Whether your purchase is produced in Ethiopia, Mexico, Peru, or at our headquarters in Nashville, TN, each item has one thing in common: because it is made by women, it is leading all of us a step closer to the end of generational poverty.
They're also starting an initiative that blows my mind. They've decided to be one of the first companies in fashion to publish their wages. They want to make sure consumers have the information they need to protect the people making their products. Their dream is that in 10 years or sooner, publishing wages will be as common as a nutritional facts label on your food. How amazing is that?
If their story hasn't sold you on their products, just wait until you see them. We have their bags and jewelry in store now!