3 ways the HDC Makers Box is making a positive impact right now

Hi friends!

Amidst all of the chaos happening in our beloved Haiti, we’d like to give you a little update.

So far this year, there has been both some good and devastating news. The good news is that, we have joined forces with 2nd Story Goods! (Link 2nd story goods retail site here) The Haiti Design Co mantra is the well known Haitian Proverb, “Men anpil, chay pa lou” or “many hands make the load light”. We’re combining the strengths of both companies and putting our many hands together to continue to serve our customers and to continue bringing the makers of both brands to market!

The most devastating news is that, the week of March 11th, our horn and bone partner Boss André’s shop was vandalized. Most of their equipment was stolen and their main source of income was taken away from them. Many are asking for ways to support. We encourage you to give through https://www.gofundme.com/f/sos-haiti-solidarity-with-artists-artisans?fbclid=IwAR3ttujE-4kzLLzjHFj-gy7Qd4FUwvz5wgGVMGox2_s56SUrKmM4mG5Yd30, a collaborative effort that will go to support Boss André Paul as well as several other artisan workshops who are facing the same tragedy, to help them replace what was lost and rebuild their livelihoods.

In addition to this, we highly encourage you to support through our Makers Box! The Makers Box is your chance to get to know the team members better and receive an exclusive collection at a discount. Every 3 months, our subscribers receive a box spotlighting an artisan partner. The box includes 5-7 handmade products, a note from the artisan and a beautiful proverb card from our team. Now, more than ever, the artisans need our support and the Makers Box is one of the best ways to offer continued support.

1. The Makers Box is an effective way to sustain those who already have existing jobs that they depend on.

It unfortunately would not be realistic to say that we can create new jobs in Haiti right now. However, we can definitely empower those who already have their own businesses. So many talented artisans all around the country are not able to work because of lack of equipment, gang violence, lack of tourism in the country and more. By placing orders, we empower those who already have their businesses and workshops to keep going.

2. The Makers Box is a way to make sure Hait’s beauty is shared with the world.

In a time where the news is flooded with images of violence and disaster, it can be hard to hold on to the beautiful. When you subscribe to the box, each quarter, you will receive beauty right at your doorstep. You can share the handcrafted items you receive with your family and friends and post photos on social media to show a different side of Haiti. What a wonderful way of promoting the beauty of Haitian-made goods, at a time when it is so needed.

3. The Makers Box is an easy way to keep a piece of Haiti in your home and heart.

How many of you carry Haiti in your hearts even though you might not be able to travel there at the moment? The box includes 5-7 handmade products that each represent Haiti and tell a story. The Makers Box helps you keep Haiti alive in your heart through jewelry, leather, and other handmade pieces, and can serve as a reminder to think about and pray for her often. We hope this serves as a reminder that even when tragic things we see in the news feel out of our control, there are still things we can do that make a very real difference. We invite you to sign up for the Makers Box and support Haitian artisanal work! Men anpil, Chay pa lou. (Here we need to insert information about the makers box, how many times a year you get it and how much it costs and then a button to the page to sign up)

Why is supporting artisan brands vital for keeping our planet healthy?

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.

Written by Tiffany Thomas. fOLLOW TIFFANY ON Instagram!

Wading through the storm: Boss Renel

Wading through the storm is our Motto for the rest of the year. Because storms have passed and are still passing but the strength and perseverance of Haitian entrepreneurs remains a source of inspiration to us all. We want to take the time to highlight some of our friends, artisans and partners who have, through all the ups and downs, decided to keep going, change the game and stand firm. Today, let’s talk about Boss Renel

First, a little back story on Boss Renel.

We partnered with Boss Renel and his recycled steel metal art business in 2013. Hurricane Sandy wiped out his workshop in 2012, and since then he was trying to build his business back up. Through new design collaborations, quality control training, and business management training, Renel was able to increase his abilities and capacity by creating jobs for other men in his community. His process begins with an old oil drum purchased at the port. He then flattens this oil drum and carefully hammers out the mold of the product he is creating. From there Renal will intricately hammer in the design by hand and sand and polish until the product is complete. This form of crafted metal art is one of Haiti's traditional and most well known artisan crafts. 

Today, after years of economical and political instability in Haiti, Boss Renel and his team are currently stuck at a crossroad.

“Nobody is currently working because we do not have any orders” He says. He feels sad and powerless facing this situation because by himself, he is not able to keep his employees working.

He continues: “My vision is to rebuild and also to widen my strategy. Right now we have the skills and talent but no concrete means such as tools and of course clients. The two main things I envision are first, gathering enough money to be able to get proper tools, which will allow us to produce more efficiently, but also help through partnerships with boutiques and stores in order to get orders. Right now, the only way for me is to regain my team’s trust is to have work to give them. No words of motivation will do right now and to be honest, I sometimes find it hard to remain hopeful myself but cannot afford to give up”

Boss Renel is also currently thinking of a new location where his team can produce. Their current one is not in a safe environment and the HDC workshop is where he stores some of his material. As we are wading through the storm with them, we want to offer concrete and direct ways of helping.

Right now, there are 2 concrete ways to lift Boss Renel’s team up

The first one is to contribute through our HDC FAM program, which will directly gather funds for Boss Renel’s team and their immediate business needs. If you are comfortable with that, you can even screenshot your confirmation after donating (amount can be hidden) and tag us in your instagram stories or Facebook posts saying “I contributed for Boss Renel!” This will help us tremendously in spreading the word.

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The second way is to place a significant order for items that his team produces. We offer 50% off our retail prices to wholesale buyers. Through this link, you can enter the password HDCWHOLESALE and purchase if you spend a minimum of $350 (If the order is less than $350, it won’t be able to be processed).

If you have more questions or want to inquire about a possible partnership, you can fill this form in order to get more details on how to buy wholesale.

You could buy and fill the shelves of your boutique or small business, host gatherings and small parties where you resell the items, buy them for goodie bags and more.

See some of Boss Renel’s team’s work below

Fabiola Earring

$21.00

Leather Rivets Bracelet

$12.00

Sending you lots of love