Check out this insightful post from Anuschka Rees about 5 Ways to Build a More Ethical Closet! (read here) First and foremost, take care of what you already have. And if you do buy, buy pieces you truly love and from brands you respect. Building an ethical closet is something you can begin today.

Haiti Highlight: Jacmel

Our sweet Caribbean island is home to diverse landscapes and rich beauty, and while we love that our work and home life is centered in the vibrant city of Port au Prince, there is nothing else like a quick beach getaway. That's where the lovely Jacmel comes in.

Located in the Southern part of the island, Jacmel is an old port town originally founded by the Spanish, but repopulated by the French. The French influence is heavy, but most heavily seen in the grand colonial architecture. There are buildings centuries old complete with large pillars, wrought-iron gates, spiral staircases, and intricate designs tiled across the floor.

The colors are just as rich as the history with pops of blues and greens spread across the town. The photo below is from the iconic Hotel Florita, known for its classic gingerbread style architecture and delicious rhum sours. 

Beyond its beautiful beaches and preserved architecture, Jacmel has a vibrant arts scene and serves as one of Haiti's most culturally-rich hubs for handmade goods. This especially come to life every year in Carnival season. In February, our team not only got to experience the colorful parade, but we were also able to visit some of our partner artisans, our woodworking team! Boss Jonas and his team live in the mountains and craft beautiful wood pieces completely by hand. 

Lastly, Jacmel is home to Bassin Bleu, a series of 3 deep natural pools tucked away in the mountains. Accessible only by a guided hike through lush mountain greens, the pools are a deep, mesmerizing teal. You can spend the afternoon jumping, diving, and swimming with the mermaids. 

Oh and did we mention the sunsets?

Bonjour, Andre!

Meet Andre, one of the featured artisans in the SPRING 2017 Maker's Box! At HDC, we train and employ artisans with the skills and resources they need to be successful both professionally and personally. We work as a collective of artisans - with 3 in-house teams and 4 partner teams from the community that work as part of our Artisan Incubator Program. Andre was one of our first partner artisans, and in terms of our HDC family mentality, we like to think of him as our wise father figure who has a rich depth of knowledge and expertise to share with us in our efforts to create quality work, quality goods, and quality relationships.

As a highly valued member of our HDC family, we want to take a moment to share Andre's story with you!

Andre has been crafting ethically-gathered horn and bone for over 34 years. He runs an artisan cooperative in Port au Prince that trains and employs over 30 men from the community. He is originally from Jacmel, a beautiful beach town a few hours south of the city, but moved with his uncle at the age of 14. His uncle had been working with horn and bone for years when he taught Andre the craft. Andre was quick to pick it up and began expanding on the skills his uncle taught him in his hours between school. Over time, he grew to have his own business and line of products.

However, the earthquake in 2011 destroyed his original shop. With some support, he was able to build a new shop that has since grown to be a large artisan cooperative where Andre and his team create products for retailers to sell across the world.

One of the most inspiring and humbling things about Andre is his heart to empower others. He is community-minded and views his knowledge and his workshop as something beyond just himself. He is passionate about training a new generation of leaders with the skills they need to be independent entrepreneurs, claiming that his space is "a place for all the people." Their work is a beautiful showcase of the talents and designs inherent to the people of Haiti, and they seek to use their products to elevate this beautiful island in the minds and hearts of people around the globe. A few of the products we work with Andre to create are the much loved horn bangles + hoops, demi circle + drop pendant necklaces, and the horn bowls + dishes. 

Andre is featured in this season's Maker's Box alongside our in-house leather team. You can learn more about him and the leather team, as well as receive a thoughtfully curated collection of their products in the SPRING 2017 MAKER'S BOX (order deadline for spring is April 1st). Boxes are available for individual purchase or year-long subscriptions. Each season, we will release a new box highlighting our different in-house and partner artisan teams, giving you a meaningful look into the process, people, and products behind each unique craft!

Bon Kanaval!

We are in the midst of Carnival season here in Haiti! A festive time leading up to Mardi Gras, Carnival is when bands release new music and the streets are filled with colorful costumes, paper mache masks, food vendors, and big parades. 

Another tradition unique to Haiti is a celebration called "Rara." Rara features bands of people dressed as costumed characters playing a variety of home-made instruments. You can see these celebrations lining the streets in Port-au-Prince as well as in surrounding cities throughout the country. 

Overall, Carnival is a joyous time of celebration where people band together to enjoy music, food, and playful performances satirizing the current political environment. Haiti is home to one of the largest Carnival seasons in the Caribbean and North and South America, making it a popular time for travelers to visit and join in the festivities! 

Thoughts from our Founder with Women@Forbes

Recently I had the chance to share some of my honest thoughts on the orphan cycle in Haiti, the importance of ethical fashion, and our vision at Haiti Design Co with the lovely Anushay Hossain at Forbes. Anushay focuses on women entrepreneurs starting social business for good through the platform "Women@Forbes".  I believe we all have purchasing power that can be used for good, and a voice to speak up about what real help and sustainable development can look like. I'm so honored I was able to share a bit of my perspective on these issues through what we have seen first hand on a daily basis in Haiti. Please click on the link below to check out the article and let us know your thoughts.

With love from Haiti,

-Chandler