Winter 2016

Products with Purpose By Julie McCallum

Acacia Creations Maura Kroh, owner

Mission: “The mission of Acacia Creations has always been to improve lives in a long-lasting, sustainable way. The company goes beyond fair trade by creating jobs, providing training and giving back to communities through education and healthcare initiatives. It works directly with thousands of craftsmen and women across Africa and Asia to build paths to prosperity.”

How do the products serve the mission? Three separate cause-related collections raise money for different projects.

1. Barefoot Trade Bracelets — For every bracelet purchased, Acacia Creations uses $1 for education-related expenses in Kenya. This includes everything from school tuition (public schooling in Kenya is not free) to supplies, shoes, uniforms and anything else that might ensure a good education for children.
2. Healing Hearts — Each item sold from this collection raises 50 cents for childhood healthcare expenses.
3. The Endangered Collection — Ten percent of sales of this collection goes to benefit wildlife conservation. Currently we are partnered with the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust here in Kenya and the Sea Turtle Conservancy in Florida.

Plans for the future: The company would like to deepen the collections by adding new products to generate more revenue for charitable projects.

How can retailers get more involved? “We always love when retailers have specific requests for how money raised from their purchases should be used,” Kroh said. “With a purchase of $500 or more from the Endangered Collection, we foster an orphaned elephant in the customer’s name. They receive regular updates from the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.” 

For more information, visit www.acaciacreations.com/our-story/

Julie McCallum

Julie McCallum is publisher of Gift Shop Magazine. She is formerly the editor-in-chief of the publication, as well as editor of Museums & More, and she has more than 25 years experience in publishing.