IT'S NOT JUST A BRAND IT'S A STORY...
Each authentic mochila you purchase directly empowers the woman that made it through fair wages & sustainable jobs!
What does our brand name mean, you ask? Hi there! My name is Emarie June, and my grandmother is Marty White. We are the owners of Straccio Rico. I am a mix of of Venezuelan and Italian, which is how our brand name derived. “Straccio” meaning rags in Italian & “Rico” meaning rich in Spanish. I'm sure you've heard the old phrase "Rags to Riches", right? Our mission is to help our Wayuu families continue their passion as master weavers, crocheting these beautiful bags for all of us. Through our sales, we will enable our artisans to go from “Rags to Riches!”
My grandmother and I started “Straccio Rico” as an e-commerce business, in 2018, with our desire to make an impact on the world. Fast forward 2 years, this business we have built together has grown tremendously. It has allowed us to open our first brick and mortar, in November 2020, located in Charleston, South Carolina. Spreading the love of handmade mochilas and supporting our families will forever be our passion. 💕
WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO
Support and Impact. Our aim is to help the artisans of the Wayuu community in Riohacha, Colombia maintain a steady income through their beautiful handmade Wayuu mochila bags. In Riohacha, an artisan may sit at the market in extreme heat for an entire day in hopes of selling a single bag. We want to help get their amazing art out to the rest of the world so they can spend more time being creative and doing what they love! Every mochila sale helps empower female artisans of the Wayuú community, and at the same time, improve their quality of life. This income provides water, education even better nutrition for their families.
Crocheting Wayuu bags is a dying art. As younger generations move to the city, less indigenous women choose to live from the art of crochet. This struggle for many young Wayuu men and women has resulted in the artisans seeking a more modern way of life, therefore this intricate art is slowly dying. Through our support, we hope this will encourage them to continue this beautiful craft.
Designing and Creating. We love designing new styles by working directly with our master artisans. Our first collaboration was our "Collegiate Collection". Our local colleges are sharing this beautiful art with straps and bags in school colors. We are constantly challenging our talented artisans by developing unique designs made exclusively for Straccio Rico.
Many thanks to all of our customers who have been with us since the beginning and all our new customers who continue to help us grow. We look forward to you being a part of our mission!
XO,
Emarie & Marty
