It’s 4am in Minnesota, and I would be sleeping if not for the buzzing of this tireless mosquito. Since the light on my phone isn’t doing much to lure the little buzzer in, I text Rachel.
Rachel’s in China where it’s 5pm. She’s finishing up her third straight workday with Eli’s team of sewers and technical designers. They’re making remarkable progress. I want to see the samples via Skype or Facetime, but communication is still limited, so we text. I get a reply from Rachel immediately.
"I heard you should use a match to draw the mosquito into the flame. We are cranking out prototypes. A few are still a bit rough but it will all come together. I really think the line is coming up a good notch. I’m excited to see what you think. We found all the new materials, some had to be ordered. And I ordered more labels. I’m bringing home prototypes to test. The fabric qualities are accurate but we still need to choose colors. I’ll send pics when I can. I wish I had booked another day here. I think I want to do a travel eye mask that we screen print ‘whiskey neat and pretzels please’."
I personally prefer 'whiskey on the rocks and hold the pretzels,' but we can print that on the flip side. I digress. As it turns out, you don't need a match to kill a mosquito. All you need is patience, focus and a steady source of light. The qualities required to stabilize communities, create jobs and make ethically produced goods. The same qualities our intrepid Founder, Rachel Kinley, infuses into every collaboration with our network of women entrepreneurs.
The proof is in our products, like the new Meridian Lee Totepack. It's thoughtful design allows you to carry it four different ways and it looks good from every angle. The hidden side pocket provides secure and easy access to your phone or keys. The exterior fabric is durable with a soft canvas feel. And the luscious brocade lining is carefully finished with interior pockets. There's no other way to describe it than to say it's awesome! It's my current favorite bag and I'm sure you will love it too.
But you need to see it for yourself.
To a bright future,
