Wanderlust is something that I've experienced since the first time I left the country as a 4-year old. Seeing how different people in different countries lived at such a young age is something that I've treasured for my whole life, especially once I realized that not everyone has had the same travel opportunities that I've had.
That being said, I haven't left the country since I moved back to the US from Germany 4 years ago. I had plans to travel abroad last year, but was pregnant and felt that I should stay in the country and the summer travel plans that we'd been dreaming about for this year have been indefinitely put on hold due to, you know, that global pandemic thing. Since we have been spending so much time at home, I've found myself doing lots of online searches, lots of Pinterest-ing, and quite a bit of turning to wardrobe pieces that have come to me from afar.
These beaded bracelets are just such pieces. They were handmade in Nepal for Aid Through Trade, a company that was created when founder Damian Jones was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Kathmandu Valley. While there, he became intrigued by the way that glass beads were used in Nepalese culture and discovered that when women had incomes of their own, their lives changed dramatically. Upon his return to the United States, he created Aid Through Trade as a way to bring Nepalese glass beads to the rest of the world, while also providing dignified work for women in the Kathmandu Valley. In 1993, he created the Roll-On bracelet and never looked back!
Today, over 200 artisans in Nepal make all of the beautiful Roll-On bracelets and other jewelry for Aid Through Trade. The tag on each piece is hand-signed by the artisan who made it, and if you like, you can see photos and read brief biographies of these artisans HERE. Maya made my bracelets and I love that I am able to put a product to a name to a face in this way. Maya and all of the other Aid Through Trade artisans earn a fair wage in a safe work environment, but they also receive daily meals, afternoon yoga (!!!), a retirement fund, healthcare benefits, and they have a work-from-home program.
The colors used on these Havana bracelet are bright, happy, and perfect for summer. Each bracelet in this set uses a different pattern, so they can be work in a stack or on their own. Aid Through Trade has tons of other awesome stacks, including sports team stacks, sorority stacks, and statement stacks. They also have a gorgeous line of earrings!
Take a look at their site and comment back her with your favorite products!
What's sustainable about this outfit?
: the earrings are handmade
: the bracelets are fair trade and handmade
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