By Stacy Radley
For dozens of desperate women in Guatemala and Nepal, hope has come in the form of bracelets.
Photo: All Good Things
A Dallas-area jewelry enthusiast has given these women a fresh start making accessories, possibly saving them from hunger, rape, and even human trafficking. Gabby Vinnozzi started All Good Things, a line of jewelry handmade by women in Third World countries, as a way to give back and make a difference.
“The women might have been victims of sex trafficking or come from other harsh living situations,” says Ms. Vinnozzi, who is from McKinney.
All Good Things carries bracelets, necklaces, earrings and headbands—all handmade. When Nepali women wear glass beads, it is a meaningful cultural statement. Thus, the pieces from Nepal are all beaded. Since the women of Guatemala have a rich weaving tradition, dating back to the Mayans, the items from Guatemala are woven. All Good Things’ suppliers are carefully chosen after a great deal of research.
At the moment, most of All Good Things’ sales are made in McKinney, the Dallas area and off the company website, www.allgoodthingsboutique.com. Vinnozzi says she does not have a specific plan for where she wants the line to go, simply that she is “just letting it do its thing.”
However, Professor Robert Lawson of SMU’s Cox Business School points out that it may be hard for this line to make real economic advances because of the extremely competitive nature of the jewelry business. Lawson says the real deciding factor between success and failure is consumers because they are the ones who decide the value of the line.
Photo: All Good Things.
The jewelry collection includes a wide variety of styles. And the pieces are affordable. Vinnozzi says that their “target buyer is the woman who wants to create some good in the world.” Vinnozzi says the Nepal Mission bracelets, in particular, are popular among all age groups.
All the pieces that All Good Things carries are “fair trade” items, meaning the revenue from the sales goes directly back to the women making them. These women now have jobs and can provide for their families. In addition, proceeds from the sale of the Nepali bracelets support Friends of Maiti Nepal, a company devoted to rescuing and treating female victims of human trafficking.
Think about how much good you could do by simply buying a bracelet or two for $16 apiece.