Empowerment is one of the chief driving forces of One Thread Outfitters. We don’t believe in charity or handouts, but we hold fast to the ideal of walking with others until they are able to run. All resources that we provide to our countries of involvement are purchased from their economy, is distributed by our local partners, we are constantly seeking ways to help development from within. Which is why our partnership with the “Smithereens” women of San Jose de Cusmapa is so dear to our mission and purpose. 

What began as a supplement to their daily education has become a full flourished way these young women not only provide for their families, but also employ jobless single mothers and clean up their community. With an old donated tumbler and drill bits and a wealth of creativity, these women design and handcraft each piece of jewelry from the trash that litters their streets.

No one piece is alike and each bears the dreams and hopes of woman seeing to better herself and others. Its the very essence of what One Thread Outfitters is all about, turning the wants of some into the needs of others. 

For each piece purchased from the GATHERED:Nicaragua collection, the women of Cusmapa are empowered to empower others. As GATHERED grows with other handmade accessories from our countries of involvement, the model will remain the same; you receive handcrafted, one of a kind pieces and they receive the chance at a brighter tomorrow. Browse the GATHERED collection and join the fight for enough today!

markrekers:

Behind the scenes of One Thread Outfitters’ GATHERED product photo shoot with Pat Wright Photography. Stay tuned for the unveiling of the collection…

patwright:

My photodoc of One Thread Outfitters’ first international drop is up! Click the pic to pop over to the Flickr and check the set out. Love welcomed!

Click the pic to see thee photos Patrick captured from the first drop to Nicaragua!

Here’s a behind the scenes post from Patrick on our latest ad campaign. Enjoy!

patwright:

Its such a blessing to be able to do all things I get to do. One of the things I enjoy most is when my endeavors cross. I handle all the photography for One Thread and it’s always fun to combine my two passions. Yesterday we began photography on our latest ad campaign. Last minute changes put stress level on alert which is when I work best. The talented Sarah Kobos jumped right in, hunting down models; an hour later and we were off to location. I originally intended to shoot in a parking garage I had shot some never before released photos (until now) :

But as we arrived, the light was setting into the magic hour and the vacant lot beside the garage was tingling with great light. Number one rule of photography, be flexible. So we got models in place, the camera calibrated, and it was off to the races. The key to a good shot is patience. Shooting next to a busy street means bikers, dogs, cars all love to ruin a great shot. So everyone must be patient (way easier said than done) to grab what you need. The models did a fantastic job. Working on such a tight schedule and with people you’ve never collaborated with before can be a daunting task, but everyone brought their A game. Cant wait to share them all!