Socially-Conscious Design Makes A Powerful Statement
Being confined to our spaces like never before has shed light on every facet of our homes: the look, the function, the comforts— and with renewed potency, the intentions behind the items we live with. While consumer activism gained fresh credence in 2020, a rising tide of young design brands have been defining a new model of ethical production at scale for years…
Like the Stockman sisters, Christina Bryant too found the spark for St. Frank, her luxury home goods brand, while abroad. Living in rural Rwanda, Bryant became enamored with the exquisite Agaseke baskets made in her village. So spurred a business model that works with artisans in under-resourced communities to design and produce product lines. (To date, St. Frank supports jobs in more than two dozen countries.) “We showcase traditional craft as art form,” says Bryant, adding that her Oaxacan embroidered tablecloths take four women an entire month to create. “Our model is the opposite of exploitative. We make a premium product that the handiwork deserves.”
