This one’s for the friends that carried me with them.
Last week, four of my business besties hopped on a plane to Ethiopia to visit the artisans who are making our Green Roost bags.
When the trip was first announced, I was all in. I had visions of hugging the artisans behind the bags, seeing their workshops, soaking in every ounce of inspiration. But then—life. Schedules, family, timing…it just wasn’t in the cards for me.
And I’ll be honest: the FOMO was real. It stung to watch them pack their bags knowing mine would stay put.
But here’s what surprised me: even though I didn’t go, I never felt completely left behind. My friends carried me with them every step of the way. We texted constantly, they sent photos and stories, and at one point they even embossed a bag with our Green Roost logo just for me. My hands weren’t there, but my heart was.
Here’s the part I want you to know: these bags are more than just beautiful leather pieces on our shelves. They’re the work of skilled artisans who pour their history, their heritage, and their hearts into every stitch. Each one is hand-cut, hand-sewn, and pressed with care. It takes days—not hours—to create just a single bag. And behind every finished piece is an artisan building stability for their family, just as much as they’re building your new favorite accessory.
Sometimes in life, we don’t get to be in the room, on the plane, or in the picture. And that’s ok. Because our people—our chosen community—carry us with them. We still belong.
That’s what I hope Green Roost feels like for you too. Even if you can’t pop into the shop every week, you’re still part of the story here. You’re carried with us—whether through a package arriving on your doorstep, a video try-on on YouTube, or simply knowing your favorite bag is being made with care across the world.
If you want to see the line that traveled across oceans, hands, and hearts, you can find our artisan-made bags HERE. Every photo from Ethiopia is a reminder that these are more than bags—they’re bridges.
