Our Mission
“A BRAND CREATED IN MEMORY OF MY FATHER TO GIVE BACK, DO GOOD, PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO UNDERSERVED WOMEN IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, SHARE THEIR CRAFT AND STORIES WITH THE WORLD ”
ARTISANS OF IQ Founder Ileana Quinones
WE ARE 100% WOMEN-LED
ARTISANS OF IQ is 100% women led. We strive to create economic opportunities for women in a supportive & collaborative environment that actively promotes and upholds women in work. We believe in championing women and ensure that they are involved in every aspect of our business. We encourage the artisans to seek roles traditionally occupied by men and provide them with the training necessary to master their craft.
WE ARE COMMUNITY-DRIVEN & SOCAILLY RESPONSIBLE
We ensure fair wages and a safe, respectful work environment for our artisan partners and our teams: 100% of ARTISANS OF IQ community is paid above the average living wage and our artisan partners in the region are Fair Trade Certified where they receive healthcare, reasonable work hours, a % of each staff member’s salary is put aside in case of a health emergency and put in a savings account. We believe in preserving local crafts from Indigenous communities in Southeast Asia. Collectively, we are committed to making a social impact. Since our inception, we have donated to nonprofits in the USA and projects in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam that support and enrich local communities. We are proud to promote inclusivity and diversity at every level of our business and are committed to engaging the next generation of women innovators, supporting and encouraging the artisans with a program of training and mentoring. In 2020 ARTISANS OF IQ was nominated for the IEMA Sustainability Impact Awards in the Community and Social Value category along side Bonny Island - Nigeria Community Sustainable Development Projects, Tideway legacy, Masterplan for Sustaining Caerphilly's Landscape - WYG, Tetra Tech and many other nonprofits and private organization all over the globe doing good work for their communities and our planet.
WE ARE FOOTPRINT-CONSCIOUS
ARTISANS OF IQ bags are made using natural and sustainable materials found deep in the jungles of Southeast Asia in Cambodia & boarder of Vietnam. Our ethical jewelry is responsibly sourced and created by hand from women artisans in Thailand using 18kt gold with natural gemstones and pearls providing sustainable wages for these women to better support themselves and their families. We uphold a high standard of transparency in everything we do. We care deeply about the environment and are committed to responsible production and minimizing waste by utilizing available materials down to the very last detail including packaging for both our jewelry and handbags. Our packaging is made using either recyclable, compostable, biodegradable or zero waste materials. Crafted by indigenous women in small batches and made with materials local to their region. Our bags are handcrafted and cultivated by hand from start process to end by women that learned weaving techniques passed down from their foremothers and decorated with 100% silk preserving their ancient declining silk trade. Our pearl jewelry are handmade by talented mothers in Thailand keeping their rich tradition of hand beading Thai jewelry alive. Conscious and considered, every piece in our collection is designed and created to last and empower women.
POMPOMS WITH A PURPOSE & ONE-OF-A-KIND NOLITA HANDBAGS
Our NOLITA Handbags are created with water lily stems “Water Hyacinth” woven by middle to older aged indigenous women in the jungles of southeast Asia in Cambodia using a traditional weaving technique. Once the bags are completed, they travel to a school for underserved young women, the women then line each bag with 100% cotton remnant fabric left over from local factories to be zero waste. Once the bags are completely lined, they travel to another group of talented artisans that hand dye and craft 100% silk pompoms and decorate each bag to perfection. Finally, the bags are packaged with an embroidered logo duster created from 100% recycled cotton remnant fabric from local factories. These one-of-a-kind luxurious bags give solid work to 4 + groups of talented & underserved women that live in far and remote locations of Southeast Asia these women come together and form a chain and help each other to rise, support their families, educate young and older women, provide healthcare and protect endangered species and aquatic wildlife. We are proud to be the only brand in the fashion Industry to create these exclusive natural 100% silk pompoms by hand and the only company to make these exclusive silk pompom bags in Cambodia.
