Over the past few months, we've spent a lot of time looking inward. Having just decided to embark on a bold expansion plan—one that went against every industry insider Archibald spoke with, we soon realized that a brand introspective was required. We spent months identifying everything that we stood for at Archibald, eventually coming up with the idea of 'The Greater Good'. 

Working with a charity had been on the cards for a long time and always represented something we were passionate about. However, we hadn't yet found a partner that upheld this belief beyond commerce, for the simple reason that we didn't want to be like everyone else. The e-commerce space had enough brands using the 'charity' angle to increase the feel-good factor of a sale, and this struck us as dishonest.

The 'Buy A Pair, Give A Pair' model employed by our friends on the other side, was designed to make consumers believe that the exact same item was being gifted. However, the reality was quite the opposite. The products donated were generally produced for just under $2 and were conducted as a cash donation per sale, rather than a product donation to the less-fortunate.

When we found Nest , there seemed to be a collective sigh of relief. Until now, charities tended to operate at an uncomfortable distance from the people they were attempting to help, so we knew we needed to work with people truly commmitted to their cause. The search for an organization was much like finding a partner to do our manufacturing; although there were plenty of options, we wanted to do it properly. Afterall, charity is not a vanity project—it has to be a serious attempt at making a change.

Nest were the perfect fit in so many ways, not least because championing artisan communities formed the basis of their project. From our first conversation, it was clear that the team at Nest operated in a lean manner, avoiding indulgences while working toward a goal they were so personally passionate about. Reflecting an ingenuity you rarely see when dealing with social enterprise was particularly refreshing.

With that said, we are proud to introduce Nest as our partner. Together with Nest, we will work to ensure that a portion of every sale in the United States is used to sustain these artisinal industries—allowing communities from all corners of the world to not only celebrate their heritage, but use it as a means to progress.

To learn more, visit  buildanest.org  or follow the movement at  @buildanest.