In less than 100 days the world will remember the 200,000+ lives that were lost in the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Frontline news will marvel at the 1.5 million people who became homeless overnight and the aid dollars that seemed to vanish. One company, however, will not only honor those lost, they will celebrate the livelihoods created due to the tenacity of the survivors. deux mains, an ethical fashion brand, is using innovation to invest in the long-term development of Haiti. Combining industrial manufacturing with handmade craftsmanship, deux mains introduces an ethical production system that is sustainable.
Days after the earthquake, deux mains president, Julie Colombino was on the ground to assist survivors. Since that time, she has transitioned from a disaster responder into a fashion entrepreneur, supporting dozens of dignified jobs in Haiti. Marrying locally-sourced Haitian leathers and repurposed tires, deux mains manufactures high-end footwear and handbags for companies such as Kenneth Cole, Faithbox and Norton Point.
“We have beaten all the odds of growing a business in Haiti. Our vision to create an innovative and competitive manufacturing system has come to fruition. We have doubled production, as well as, doubled our environmental and social impact by creating more jobs and repurposing more tires. Haiti may be poor in many ways, but access to the limitless sunshine is not one of them. We have increased impact by outfitting our building with solar so that we may harness the power of the Haitian sun, reducing C02 emissions,” said Colombino. Continue reading