Winter 2018
Products with Purpose By Sam Ujvary

There are many ways one can help those in need. These companies prove that giving back knows no boundaries.

There are many ways one can help those in need. These companies prove that giving back knows no boundaries.

Art Studio Company

Art Studio Company

Stu Fishman, founder

Company Mission: Art Studio Company travels the world bringing you socially conscious hand crafted and recycled goods. Our U.S. design team focuses on the highest quality earth-friendly materials and workmanship. Most products are made in small villages and benefit the local people of the community, and help keep old craft traditions alive. Good for the Earth, Good for its People.

How do your products serve the mission? A portion of the proceeds of our animal inspired products help an endangered species. A portion of proceeds from all other items are donated to Global Dental Relief. Art Studio Company donates funds and often a team member will go to a village to help improve children’s teeth all over the world.

Plans for the future: We want to continue to work with Global Dental Relief and also continue finding ways each year to help all different kinds of endangered species. We will be original and creative with our new products and will strive to make a positive impact in the small villages where these items are made. We will stay true to our mission of being good for the Earth by using recycled products and being eco-friendly whenever possible.

How can retailers get involved? Anyone can donate directly to Global Dental Relief (www.globaldentalrelief.org), or go on a trip. No experience needed and you would be playing a very important role in making a difference. Or by purchasing an Art Studio Company product.

Sseko

Sseko Designs

Liz Bohannon, founder

Company Mission: Sseko Designs uses fashion to create opportunity for women globally. We provide employment and scholarship opportunities to women in Uganda who are working to pursue their dreams and overcome poverty.

How do your products serve the mission? Every time you purchase a product from Sseko, you support fair employment and opportunity for women in East Africa. Every Sseko employee receives a fair wage, health insurance and opportunities to learn and grow. In addition, we provide scholarships for the women in our program who are university bound.

Plans for the future: We will send even more women to university each year as our business grows! We are committed to growing sustainably and producing the highest quality goods possible.

How can retailers get involved? We sell our products through a financially self-sustaining model, one that also enables us to create opportunity for women in the U.S. to earn an income: The Sseko Fellows Program.

LovePop

 Lovepop

Wombi Rose, co-founder, CEO​

Company Mission: Lovepop is on a mission to create 1 billion magical moments. ​​

How do your products serve the mission? Lovepop creates stunning, intricate paper art to share with loved ones to show that you care.​ We have hundreds of designs, so we have just the right one for your loved ones. Whether it’s a camping scene that evokes childhood memories with your dad, or a flower garden for your aunt who loves to garden, we want our customers to share our designs with the special people in their lives, to create a shared magical moment.

We often partner with charities, and select designs for which some of the proceeds go to a special cause. For the month of October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we are donating $1 for every Cherry Blossom to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Plans for the future: With the holidays around the corner, we are working on amazing new designs for Christmas and Valentine’s Day.​ And in 2018, you’ll see a lot more from Lovepop Weddings — we are so excited to be working with couples to bring the magic of their wedding to their 3D paper art invitation suite.

How can retailers get involved? We are excited to extend this charity to our wholesale partners: we will donate $1 for each cherry blossom sold by our retail partners.

Cait + Co

Cait + Co

Caitlin Abshier, founder

Company Mission: Cait + Co’s mission is to promote health, hygiene and happiness for their consumers, all while equipping women in developing nations with soap-making and small business skills.

How do your products serve the mission? Five percent of every single sale goes directly towards the Lovin’ Soap Project. We have already donated over $25,000 in 2017!

Plans for the future: The Lovin’ Soap Project has invited me to go on their next trip to Kenya in February. I’m very excited to represent such a wonderful group in Nairobi as well as help teach and give women an opportunity they would otherwise not have.

How can retailers get involved? Retailers get involved either by donating directly to LSP, or they can purchase our products knowing that 5% of their order will go straight to the Lovin’ Soap Project. By purchasing our products, they are not only helping make a donation, but helping spread the message of the importance of health, hygiene, and happiness!

Craftspring

Craftspring

Anne-Laure Py, founder

Company Mission: Our mission is to use the beauty and magic of traditional crafts and their makers to help communities thrive and connect people across the world through meaningful giving. We believe that materials and process matter, and that the products we make should contribute to the world rather than drain it.

How do your products serve the mission? We make handmade ornaments and gifts, designed in Brooklyn and made with love and joy in Kyrgyzstan. We are fair-trade certified. We bring product design and a sales platform to women artisans in developing countries to help strengthen and expand their businesses. We use raw, locally sourced merino-blended wools to hand-felt each piece. We call our process and products handmade magic.

Plans for the future: We continue to expand our collections each year – this year we added over 170 new ornaments. We are also launching a beautiful new line of hand-felted masks.

How can retailers get involved? Get in touch with us at hello@craftspring.com to join our joyful and committed community of retail partners.

Kay Berry

Kay Berry

Chuck Wasson

Company Mission: Our operating philosophy has always been “to do the right thing.”

How do your products serve the mission?  We believe that our stones provide a great deal of comfort to people who are grieving. We help them find the words to express their feelings about their loss.

Plans for the future We are planning to introduce a fundraising category for organizations whereby individuals can make donations for a memorial piece the donation pays for the item and funds a project that benefits the greater community such as a playground, hospital addition or other community improvement.

How can retailers get involved? Retailers who carry our line or sell it on the web benefit their communities in a number of ways first by providing comfort, second by supplying free items to families who have lost a loved one in service to their community such as fire, EMS, police or military. We have even supplied a free memorial stone to a family whose father was killed while delivering mail.

 

 

 





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