What inspired the creation of your company, and when did it start?

It started as a small project in the Fall of 2014, when the founder; Bobbi Paidel, was inspired by the talent of artisan in India and yet humbled by the amount of children in poverty. Our company was created to provide opportunity for the artisan and return the profits to the children in India.

What is your brand’s mission, and what causes drive you and your team?

Tribe of Lambs is a NonProfit Jewelry Brand who creates opportunities and bright futures for children with HIV. Making a difference for these children drives us. We love to grow our Tribe, and include more and more people in the conversations of ethical products and compassionate consumerism

How is your brand socially responsible?

Our brand’s sole purpose is to make a difference for people; the artisans we work with, the children who’s lives we impact with our profits, and “our tribe” the customers who are in engaged at looking at how their purchasing power can make a difference for others.

What does your brand do to lower its ecological impact and/or promote environmental health and well-being?

This is something we are working on, and have yet to master. Some of our current practices are; that all our promotional material is printed on recycled paper, we recycle all packaging and shipping material, we use sustainable fabrics for our textile products, and we ‘recycle’ our unsold jewelry by re-melting the silver and using it in new designs.

Does your company perform animal testing and/or use animal-based ingredients in your products? Why or why not?

Absolutely Not! We are animal lovers and enjoy a vegan lifestyle ourselves- so why would we use them in our products! All of our materials are Vegan, and this is something we will continue indefinitely.

Where does your company make/manufacture your products, and why?

All of our designs are done in Canada (where our company is based), we then travel to India and work with Artisan and a small family manufacturer to produce our designs in an ethical facility. The craftsmanship and traditional techniques used in India are amazing, plus we like providing employment opportunities to people who may otherwise go without.

Describe your design philosophy – how do you balance quality and affordability?

Our designs are unique, bold and conversation sparking. We want people to ask the wearer about their Tribe of Lambs piece! We use quality material (silver, 18K gold and 18K rose gold) and stand behind the craftsmanship. Our product line comes in a range of prices, and we believe that our Tribe will pay a fair price for the ethical products we produce. Our prices are based on the weight of the material used.

Tell us a little about the ingredients/materials you use. Generally, why did you pick them over other options?

Majority of our products are produced with Silver and a few pieces come in 18K Gold and 18K RoseGold options. We picked these materials as they will continue looking great the more and more loved they are. Our T-shirts are a mix of bamboo and organic cotton, which we chose for the environmental and sustainability aspect.

What are the next steps for your company?

We are looking forward to offering wholesale opportunities this fall, and to continue growing our Tribe. The more people who know about us and our story, the more products we sell, and the more profits we make, the more HIV positive children we can make a difference for. There is a huge demand for care for HIV children in India, and very few people are impacting this issue.

How do you view the future of conscious consumption?

People are smart! When more and more people learn about ‘who made my clothes’ and how their purchases impact others then more actions become apparent for them. In our view, people are wanting to make a difference and just don’t know how. Once people find out that buying a Fair Trade Banana and cup of coffee can impact someone else, we think they’ll go for it! Lets raise awareness on conscious consumption and how each individual can do their part (easily and cost effectively).

As a parting sentiment, if you could only use one word to describe your brand ethos – what would it be?

Compassionate