Today we’d like to introduce you to Carly Burson.
Carly, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
When I began my adoption journey, I knew that becoming a mother would profoundly impact my life. I never imagined that it would alter the course of my life’s work. Although adoption presents an opportunity to support an individual child, I was struck by the desire to address the core issue of child relinquishment on a global scale: namely, the economic insecurity facing women in the developing world. Tribe Alive was born from my decision to utilize years of experience in the fashion industry as a platform to alleviate poverty among people in the developing world in hopes of keeping families together and giving birth mothers an opportunity to raise their own children. I began working with a small group of artisans in Honduras to develop a simple and basic jewelry collection and in 3 years’ time we have grown to work with 8 artisan communities in 5 different countries and now sell our products through multiple commerce channels.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We employ people in places that no one else wants to. Our artisans live in hard parts of the world where they’re up against unimaginable difficulties. The sheer nature of our work and our unwavering commitment to honor the earth and the maker through our process poses many challenges in an industry where human and environmental impact is not typically considered. The livelihood of our business depends on the livelihood of our artisans and we face challenges alongside them that include natural disasters, death of artisan partners, communication issues, illnesses, political unrest, lack of education, and cultural misunderstandings (to name a few) in our day to day work. It has never been easy, and some days the challenges can be paralyzing, but I’m fortunate to have a team so committed to our mission and our partners that they work through the challenges gracefully and without waiver.
Please tell us about Tribe Alive.
Tribe Alive is an ethically manufactured women’s fashion brand focused on moving the industry toward a more sustainable approach where the maker and the environment are honored equally to the consumer. Our passion for quality handmade products and responsible commerce is a platform that empowers men and women to raise themselves out of poverty across the world. We partner with artisans in Guatemala, Haiti, India, Honduras and Fort Worth, Texas to employ at-risk women at living wages. Our design studios across the world create safe work environments, dependable income, and empower our makers to determine their own future. We specialize in women’s fashion and exclusively design our own apparel, jewelry, bags, accessories and home goods. Our products are sold online, in our new Fort Worth storefront, and to retailers and stockist all over the world.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My mother is a nurse and worked nights when I was young so that she could spend days with us. I remember her always being so present with me on those days. We’d go on long walks together, visit the library, lay together on the couch and read stories – sometimes go sledding in the winter. Now that I’m a working mother I understand how tired she must have been on those days and I’m in awe of her for never showing it and always making us feel like we were her only priority.
Pricing:
- Jewelry Collection ranges from $25 – $85
- Bag & Accessory Collection ranges from $38 – $350
- Apparel Collection ranges from $68 – $198
Contact Info:
- Address: 1455 W Magnolia Ave Suite 109
Fort Worth, TX 76104 - Website: www.tribealive.com
- Phone: 682-708-3122
- Email: info@tribe-alive.com
- Instagram: @tribealive
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wearetribealive/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TribeAlive
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/tribe-alive-fort-worth
Image Credit:
Tribe Alive
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
