The Base Project Product Review

We came across The Base Project at the S.H.E. Summit around this time last year. While we recognized that The Base Project was a unique jewelry company with an earthy and industrial style, it wasn’t until getting to know Chris Akin, cofounder with his twin brother Doug Akin, that we discovered the company is a lot more than just a trendy jewelry company; it’s an ongoing sustainability project.

The Base Project started around three years ago when Chris received a gift from a friend who had just traveled to Africa. Family and friends were fascinated with gift and wanted to know more about it. That gift was a bracelet.

After intense research, calls and emails, the two brothers came into contact with some of the local bracelet makers. The bracelets were being made by two Kunene based tribes, Herero and Himba as a means to support their families.

The brothers then set off on a business adventure. They decided to partner with the artisans and began selling these bracelets for a fair trade profit. The bracelets provide the artisans with an additional income for schooling, food and health care.

The bracelets sold through The Base Project are either made from hand carved recycled water pipes or silver/gold toned brass.

The recycled water pipe bracelets come in different sizes ranging from thick to thin bands, various hand carved designs and come in brown or black, colored naturally by the sun or by a red tinted soil. The brass bracelets come in silver or gold toned brass with various designs.

The Base Project continues to partner with local artisans around the world to create and produce local, eco-friendly products at a fair trade price. We were inspired by the ingenuity of the artisans and the simple beauty of their bracelets and wanted to support their efforts.

Do you want to help support The Base Project? Head over to our new eco18 shop where you can find a selection of sizes and styles of The Base Project’s bracelets.

Wear your impact!