Each of the brands in our community works very closely with artisans, craftspeople and other small businesses. As the coronavirus pandemic has continued to impact our brands, none have lost step in nurturing those important relationships with the people throughout their supply chains. From maintaining constant communication to collaborating on creative solutions to new challenges, here is how the people in our brand community are supporting supply chains.
Amy Christiansen Si-Ahmed, Founder of Sana Jardin
“With Morocco under lockdown, the female harvesters at our co-operative have also been affected by this ongoing crisis. We are in the process of remotely training the women to make masks as it now mandatory for people to wear these outdoors. We will be applying for a Nest grant to support this so that the masks can be donated throughout the community.”
Jacqueline Lopez, Founder of Jaline Resort
“Jaline continues to support our artisans who hand weave our cotton textiles. We have paid in advance for the orders (even if the orders will be canceled on our end), and we still respect that this is their livelihood. As I am rethinking our business model, maybe it is about making one-of-a-kind, special pieces. It is something I have always wanted to develop with them, but we never had enough time. These projects would be more elaborate in their workmanship and execution.. stay tuned. On our made in NYC, we are making face masks from our deadstock and 100% of the proceeds go to the women who hand make them in New York. It is important to stay positive and create for the future .. always supporting each other.”
Isabel Llorens, Co-founder and CEO of Rusticae
“We at Rusticae are helping our supply chain partners, namely the hoteliers who belong to our club, helping them in the new COVID-19 cleaning and disinfecting protocols and new communication and merchandising strategies.”
The team at Weleda
“Weleda is always in close contact with producers and suppliers, and has been ready to offer support where needed. To date we have provided support to two long-term farming partnerships. We assisted our lavender project in Moldova with a successful application for Weleda funding to support new Coronavirus emergency measures, financing a health & safety programme for the local community, including provision of new harvesting equipment and investment in a new tractor. In Romania, where Weleda’s arnica is harvested from controlled wild collection, Weleda provided 1,500 pairs of disposable gloves to assist pickers, together with 1,000 packs of Calendula Weather Protection Cream to replenish skin stressed by hand-sanitisers and hand washing.”
Bea Sanz-Corella, Founder of Kmana
“Despite closing our shops and bringing shipments to a halt during the most severe months of the COVID-19 outbreak, we continued most of our production, working with the artisans from their homes and family workshops, for the tanning, leather craftsmanship and weaving coffee the lining. Only the production taking place in bigger factories in Denpassar was put on hold after checking the facilities. We also started producing lining masks and distributing them, and used this particular time to develop new prototypes and samples, which we are now ready to launch. All in all, our goal was to continue the work with the artisans to make sure they could continue earning a living during these difficult times. The Bali economy, heavily dependent on tourism, is collapsing, and many families are currently struggling.”
Livia Manca di Villahermosa, Founder of Balance Holidays
“Our partner properties and experts are equal parts important as our guests, as they contribute to the core essence of each programme in our collection. Over the past weeks, we have maintained close contact with them, keeping each other up to date with the latest developments, brainstorming and exchanging new, innovative and creative ideas to deliver compelling and engaging content for our audience. This way, we continue our work in creating a positive virtual circle, letting them know we are always here for each other!”
The team at Iota
“In the past months, we launched a series of new crocheting kits, which included yarns, instructions, a hook and a video tutorial. During quarantine, our clients created our objects with their own 10 fingers, improved their skills and celebrating the sense of satisfaction in creating an object with their hands. We made the kits out of yarn scraps that were in the studio, leftovers from design models and experimentation. They would have most likely found their way into the garbage eventually, but this time they got a new life. The use of scraps was an opportunity for new action and helped us to overcome a particularly complex supply chain during this challenging period.”
Jila Field, Head of Sales at Inlight Beauty
“People work with people, so communication is the most valuable support we can give our partners. Getting to know them on a personal level is important. Everyone has different needs, there is no one size fits all for us! We often must think outside the box to see what is possible with what we already have and how we can make it work. At this very moment, listening to the different needs, we are working with vendors on payment terms, offering free shipping, waiving minimums, providing gifts and samples as well as extra content to share, to help drive sales and most of all encouraging them to hold the fort with no fear as we are all in it together. We can already see the start of a new morning light.”
Monica Magdas Miller, Founder and CEO of Santicler
“I’ve had the opportunity to build an incredibly close relationship with my factory over the past two years. We speak often and we encourage each other. In general, we are positive about the future and we plan next steps to ensure we thrive together and we will continue to thrive in the future. Our relationship has grown stronger, there is mutual respect and a level of trust like never before. I look forward to my next trip and our reunion as we are one extended family now.”
Bav Tailor, Founder of Bav Tailor
“During this ‘Great Pause’ the communication between my supply chains has been respectful and continuous. To support each other through this period and beyond, they are supporting me through sustainable payment plans and delivery schedules, whilst I have ensured that no material or production orders have been cancelled. Instead, we have brainstormed together new strategies to diversify together through materials and new products. I choose suppliers very carefully and this period has truly reflected the trustworthy rapport that I have built with them through these years. My brand blossoms thanks to each and every one of them, for which I am ever so grateful.”
Image courtesy of Santicler
If you want to connect with us and have stories to share, please email us at hello@positiveluxury.com. Stay well and stay positive.
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