Think of Raven + Lily as the anti–Forever 21. Rather than making new gewgaws outta plastic, the sustainable clothing company upcycles materials like bullet casings (!) and silver coins. Plus, it pays a fair wage to HIV-positive women and victims of sex trafficking, abuse, and other trauma. (Its prices also set it apart from Forever 21, although they’re far from Prada-high.)
And unlike Forever 21, you can actually feel good about wearing things from Raven + Lily, instead of slightly nauseated and wondering if those burned-smelling jeans are making you sick. Raven + Lily offers healthcare along with a safe job so women in Cambodia, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, and the U.S. can get a leg up out of poverty. Its Kenya Collection, for instance:
Features hand-carved wooden and beaded jewelry that empower women from the Esiteti community to eradicate female genital mutation, as well as to be the first generation to send girls to school.
Awesome, right? The company is careful to make the best use of local resources, investigating what fabrics and materials local women have access to and where their design skills lie. This video explains more about the bullets-to-beads story and turning conflict into art:
Raven + Lily also gives its workers a voice by telling their stories on its site. Srey Keo, a seamstress in a Phnom Penh workshop, says it’s better than other local work she’s had:
I like this job much better than the garment factory. The work environment is good, and I can talk with the other women here … Also, the pay is better here and now I am able to live near my family and see them more. Now I have my own skills and am being trained in how to improve and grow.
Read more of their stories and take 20 percent off any Raven + Lily purchase on Earth Day with the code EARTH14.
