OUR STORY

Hey there...I am Emarie!  I am a native to Charleston, South Carolina. I am studying International Business & Marketing with a minor in Spanish. I’ve always dreamed of having my own business and have dabbled with a few small businesses, selling various things since I was 13.  I decided there was no better time than now to get serious. My grandmother, Marty, is my business partner and my biggest supporter.  She has been a huge inspiration and is by my side every step of our journey. 

When we first got started, we knew we wanted to find a way to give back and secondly wanted to find a niche in the low country so we could bring something fresh to Charleston.  My grandmother and I worked many long hours, searching and exploring many corners of the globe to find that special something. When we stumbled across the Wayuu Mochila bags, we knew this was it!  We fell in love with them immediately.  We certainly had not seen them in the local area either so we were beyond excited because they are just perfect for Charleston and living at the beach.  

Now...let's brag a little about these gorgeous mochila bags.  We love to sport one everyday!  They are all handmade, stitch by stitch, by the Wayuu Tribe in La Guira, South America.  We appreciate the beauty of these bags and the hours of work that go into making each piece one-of-a-kind. We believe in fair trade and can confidently say the artisans we work with are paid a very fair price for each of the pieces they produce for Straccio Rico. We even work with them to create some of our own designs and it’s so fascinating to see a new design come to life!  

We get asked quite frequently, "Why did we name our brand Straccio Rico?" or "What does Straccio Rico mean?".  I'm sure you've heard the old phrase "rags to riches", right?  Well, our mission is to help the Wayuu tribe continue their passion as master weavers, crocheting these beautiful bags for all of us. Our plan... sell lots of Wayuu Mochila bags and help these families go from "rags (Straccio) to riches (Rico)"! Oh...and by the way, I'm (Emarie) a mix of Venezuelan, Italian, and Mexican, so our brand name also incorporates my culture.

Each Wayuu mochila bag purchase helps these talented artisans continue doing what they love and provide an income for their families. It makes us so happy to be giving back and supporting the Wayuu tribe!  We hope as you shop that you find something to add a little spice to your life and put a pep in your step because EVERY purchase is helping a family! 

We love testimonials too so drop us a note via our email under the "Contact Us" and let us know what you love about your new, one-of-a-kind bag! 

P.S.  Be sure to follow us on Instagram @stracciorico and Facebook

XO,

Emarie & Marty, Owners