Our Story, a Sustainable Market Stall

 

Bands of Courage was conceived in early 2020 during COVID. To pass the time in lockdown we began making glass bracelets at home with designs inspired by critically endangered animals like the Hawksbill Sea Turtle.

With an accumulating number of bands, we decided to sell them at our local market, to share stories about endangered animals and see if we could plant trees to help the animals - so we were "taking action" as well as 'talking'.  

Over the following 18 months we’d pop out of lockdown when markets reopened, talk non-stop about our endangered animals then pop back home for another lockdown to make more bands.

Our passion at markets became infectious. Inspired by our amazing supporters, we took the bold step of going online in 2021. 

The number of trees quickly grew to "10 trees per band" as we better understood what we were doing and extended our range of jewelry. Every 2 gram band creates homes for animals and recycles 3.08 tonnes of CO2.

We use our Instagram account to offset our CO2 as a business and plant we 1 tree for every follower on Instagram (see below).

Given our bands are handmade, and our trees hand planted, the idea was to plant enough trees to offset the CO2 emissions of everyone working with us. We hope that as we grow, so will our followers, and trees planted so we can continue to offset our CO2 emissions.

Our little business is a family affair run from home with as yet no employees, though we have created 121 full time jobs with many others helping us. 

We are blessed to have met so many wonderful people, clients and those helping us, to help the animals. Thank you so very, very much for your support.

From our family to yours x

PS We have so much more to come, so watch this space!

Our purpose - Sustainability of animals, plants and people. 

We are Carbon Negative as a family and business.

We've created over 121 jobs and everyone who works with us is Carbon Neutral.

1 Band of Courage plants 10 Mangrove trees, helping both land and marine animals.

Almost 800,000 trees planted

1 band recycles 3.08 tonnes of CO2.

1 band creates 1 full day's work in the community planting trees.

1 Instagram follower plants 1 tree, recycling 0.308 tonnes of CO2.

35,000 trees planted for over 35,000 Instagram followers offsetting CO2 for 121 team members.

All bands are handmade creating jobs for artisans.

Bands made of natural and recycled materials, glass and recycled gold and silver.

Our personalised Gift Certificates for Animals and Trees use recycled cardboard.

Our 2 gift cards with every band tell you all about your endangered animal and trees!

Our pouches use recycled fabric.

Our posting envelopes are biodegradable.