Hello all! My name is Tiffany and I’m one of the newest interns here at Haiti Design Co. Something about me is that I’ve always been one to appreciate culture. My mother was born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico. Visiting Monterrey to see family would always be one of my favorite times of the year. Eating all the amazing foods, being apart of the beautiful culture, and seeing people make such wonderful art. I never understood though how individuals who made such charming art, like jewelry, clothing, and accessories, could go unnoticed in the world. That’s when I began to do my research on artisan brands, and the more I learned the more I was in favor of them. I had always been apart of the battle of protecting the Earth, and I suppose I got it from my father who was vegan for over 25 years. I grew up hearing all the ways we could combat climate change, but supporting artisan brands had never been one of them.
It’s no secret that fast fashion isn’t sustainable. The whole trend of buying new clothes every week just to throw them out within the month is no good for the planet. But not many people know how to avoid it, it’s almost like fast fashion follows us every where we go. I’ve had my own struggles trying to avoid fast fashion as well, it’s something everyone goes through. Our favorite brands typically don’t keep sustainability in mind when creating new clothing lines. About 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions stems from fast fashion. This is a growing issue that people need to start focusing on! The main issue though is that people don’t know where to shop for cute trendy clothes and accessories. That’s the importance of thrifting and buying at artisan brands.
Not only are artisan brands cultural, but they’re sustainable in the way they create their products. Every product is handmade. Can you imagine that? All of the hard work that is put into curating designs for various products. By choosing to support artisan brands, you are leaving less of a carbon footprint. You are being the good the Earth needs in order to maintain itself. Choosing to support small businesses in general leaves positive impacts on business owners and employees, as well as it does leave a positive impact on the Earth’s resources since they don’t mass produce like big companies.
Need a reason to shop at Haiti Design Co? They’re all about keeping integrity within Haiti’s culture. They create designs that reflect the hard work and passion that Haitians have. While doing all of this they also manage to stay trendy with their looks, which again, are all extremely sustainable and hand-crafted from people working in Haiti. Some of my personal favorites from Haiti Design Co is the Aluminum Message Cuff, which is so personal and makes the cutest gift for loved ones, Bone Pendant Necklace, which goes with about any outfit, and the Double Wrap Leather Bracelet, which is so perfect for fall! Definitely take the time to browse through their website because there are so many treasures that many companies can’t replicate.
The Aluminum Message Cuff, which is malleable and is a sand casted aluminum cuff, comes with various Haitian phrases on it. Phrases like "FANM DJANM", meaning strong woman, "VIV AYITI", meaning live strong Haiti, and more. Being able to embrace the nation’s language and culture embodies the connection that artisan brands have the ability to create. Even if you’re not one for learning about culture, there is no denying how cute these cuffs are! I’m more of a silver jewelry kind of girl so these Aluminum Cuffs go perfect with my collection.
Another item that you should add to your collection is the Bone Pendant Necklace. Ethically gathered and hand formed bone pendant backed in wood and strung on Czech glass seed beads. They offer the necklaces in different colors: cream, turquoise, and pale blue. My personal favorite is cream since it can match with about every outfit you wear. That’s what makes Haiti Design’s accessories so ethical, they’re easy to wear everyday, meaning that you don’t have to over-consume tons of jewelry to make an outfit whole. The designs are practical and cute. Being able to wear beautiful, but ethical designs, has to be one of the greatest feelings.
Lastly, one of my other recommendations is the Double Wrap Leather Bracelet. Made up of genuine full-grain leather, this bracelet is to die for! The colors, black, tan, and chestnut, are so fitting for the fall season and will go with just about any fall item you wear. I know that I’ll definitely be wearing one with my cute tan turtleneck and my dark brown dress on top. But not even just for fall, they’re adorable to wear with casual clothes for any type of season as well. That’s the beauty with simple designs, they can be worn whenever the customer pleases. So you will all see me wearing this leather bracelet throughout the year in turtlenecks, shorts, tees, and jeans.
So Overall, shop with artisan brands! They’re handcrafted items that will always satisfy customer’s needs. Trendy, sustainable, and cultural are the best words to describe
what they bring to the table in the fashion world. Be the good the world needs while also looking stylish. Although I talked about my personal favorites, there are still so many more attractive pieces in the Haiti Design Collective. Take the time to appreciate the culture and hard work that goes into crafting these items. Feel free to personally DM me if you have any questions or want more recommendations on what you should buy for your personal collection! As always, have an amazing and colorful day.