our story
Made officially began in the fall of 2017, though it really began when I was a little girl watching my mom support local artisans everywhere we lived and traveled. My mom always had a way of supporting just about anyone who was making anything.
Then, as I worked in Haiti in the non-profit sector (and, still do!), I got to personally see the impact social enterprises have through providing skills, jobs, and truly caring for their artisans. It was after realizing that over half of the world’s orphans still had parents who were unable to afford raising their children that I started to dig a little further into how we can be a part of creating work that opens the door for families to stay together.
The more I became exposed to the important conversation of ethical fashion, the more I dreamed of bringing something to my city —Williamsburg, Virginia. I wanted Williamsburg to have a place to purchase fair trade and ethically-made goods while getting to know the people who made what they’re buying. I wanted people to realize how connected we are and to shop in a way that honors our connectedness and celebrates the stories.
So, I bought a few of my favorite pieces from a few talented artisans I knew in Haiti, and we hosted our first pop-up at a local coffee shop. Then, we started selling online, continuing to partner with new groups who were making quality and stunning pieces, sharing their stories and inviting people to shop differently —considering the story that started before them.
It has been a journey and we are loving it. I can’t thank you enough for all the support, love, shares, orders, visits, likes, and follows. Thank you for caring about the stories of our incredible artisans and for shopping in a way that shows that people matter more.
The story matters.xoxo,
Holly Webb