Ways of Change

I love finding brands whose vision is to make a difference to the people they source from without compromising on design or quality. Ways of Change (WoC) fits that bill. Launched just last month, Ways of Change is an ethically sourced jewellery and accessories brand working with artisan refugees living on the Thai/Burmese border. Founded by two cousins, Lauren Baird and Cara Boccieri, they have successfully combined traditional skills with modern designs, to create a unique jewellery range of handmade pieces.

Though born and bred Americans, Lauren and Cara are a well-travelled pair. Cara originally moved to Thailand as an English teacher in her early twenties, however the main focus of her life has been working with refugees. She travelled to Costa Rica to take her masters in International Peace Studies, and after published the book “We Don’t Know Our Future; A Holistic Approach to Refugee Settlements”. Most recently though, Cara has worked in Melbourne, Australia for the Red Cross, undertaking policy, advocacy and program development for Migration Support Programs – A hot topic if there ever has been. Lauren’s, the other half of the duo, background is firmly rooted in the fashion industry, having worked in Milan, San Francisco and Australia. Prior to launching WoC she was living in Australia and working as a model agent and stylist for a boutique agency, where she was able to wear many hats and learnt how to run a business successfully.

I caught up Lauren and Cara to find out more:

Q: How did you meet the artisans living in Mau Hong Song?

I had made a lot of contacts in the refugee sector when I was carrying out my research in this region, I was confident that I knew the places to go and the people to contact to find people interested in working with us. A few weeks in I began to meet with various community-based-organizations who were interested in facilitating connections between us and refugees. I made a trip up to Mae Hong Son to meet Nay Zar, the founder of Kayan Community Development Services. When we met we both recognized in each other our strong belief in the potential of all people as well as our commitment to sustainable living. We decided to work together. The following day Nay Zar took me to three refugee villages and introduced me to everyone and later that week I attended a meeting with the village chiefs, it was very exciting!

Q: How do you define paying a fair wage?

Cara: A fair wage is a vital part to WoC’s work. We buy the products directly from the artisans, rather than employing them. Our aim is to empower people with sustainable entrepreneurial skills. When the time came to discuss pricing, one thing I did was to reach out to other organizations in the region working with people in similar conditions. We had decided that the people we work with would set their own prices and we negotiated from there. One concern was that people might under-sell their products in trying to keep WoC happy.

Lauren: Many of the artisans we are working with did not grasp the concept of their time costing money, they only thought of the raw materials necessary to buy to make a product and stopped there. We provided Financial Planning training to teach this concept to set a fair price. Our prices are also based on the foundations of a living wage outlined as being enough to provide adequate shelter, food and other necessities of life. Cara conducted a base line study prior to the launch of WoC to track how the work we are doing will alter the communities. 

Rom Bo Bracelet – $115

Q: What community development projects are you hoping to work on?

Cara – There are so many layers to the long-term vision for the community projects, which will have a focus on building on already existing skills, empowerment and sustainable living. The projects will impact communities’ current situation in regards to accessing resources (e.g. clean water, food, etc.), meaningful engagement, sustaining traditional skills and empowerment through tourism. The skills, which will facilitate these changes, would then, in the future, translate into entrepreneurship, sustainable living practices and the passing on of these skills to others worldwide. The vision would include a mutually empowering tourism model where people could come and stay in the communities, be a part of the community, learn traditional skills and share their skills with the community. An important part of this vision is that WoC will be supporting the communities in implementing projects, however the communities will take full ownership of the projects.

Rom Bo Bead Ring – $40

Q: From a design perspective, what inspires you?

Lauren: I wanted to design something that was heavily based around the traditional skills that the artisans already had, but to update it with a modern twist. My personal style and aesthetic is a bit bohemian and I love the layered look with jewellery so I wanted pieces that could be worn together and mixed and matched for anyone’s style or daily outfits. I am inspired by so many different things from art, to designer fashions and travel but this collection came together from collaborating with the artisans we work and their skills.

Q: What challenges did you face setting up the business?

Lauren: I think with any business venture there is always a leap of faith, and you really have to back yourselves and believe in what you are doing to get there. My biggest challenge was wanting to create a line of jewelry and accessories that was a bit more high-end and I was worried about quality control and aesthetics. We have worked really hard to assure that every piece is looked at with a specific care for detail; this was one area of training we focused on with the artisans, to get them to look at their product differently as well.

Coil Ring – $45

Q: Do you make a point of trying to shop ethically yourselves? If so what are your top tips?

Lauren: I love to shop! I love Reformation, a LA based company that designs a limited edition collection using sustainable fabrics or vintage garments re-worked. Everlane is great for basics and Animal Behaviour is a new sustainable brand doing some fashion forward pieces. I always read the labels in clothing now, and if something has an unnatural fiber in it I will not buy it because I know that item was made with chemicals that are harmful to the environment. I shop from like minded brands that have an eye for sustainability. I also love to buy vintage or second-hand items and always looking for quality not throw away items. 

Cara: Absolutely! I can attribute my Mother with teaching me the value of purchasing well-made and lasting pieces that I will have for a lifetime. Most of my wardrobe is made up of pieces I have had since I was a teenager or second-hand pieces, whether they came from a vintage shop or a clothing swap with friends. My top tip is to stay conscious; conscious of what you are wearing, the story behind it and how it makes you feel!

Cara & Lauren – Founders of WAys of change

To buy any of the products shown please visit www.bywaysofchange.com

Please note all prices are in USD $

All photos are used with permission of Ways of Change.