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The Base Project

The Base Project is a socially motivated fashion brand bridging the gap between artisans in the developing world and the American market. Founded by twin brothers, Chris and Doug Akin, they partner with global artisans to produce locally sourced, ethically produced fashion accessories. Creating jobs and investing in community development projects in the Kunene region of Namibia, the Base Project are supporting the development of a 42 acre community farm project, providing land, water access and education to local people. With a combination of subsistence family farming and commercial plots, the project provides land, seeds, training, equipment, water and transportation to locals.

The Base Project design and produce a collection of hand carved, fairly traded, upcycled bracelets in partnership with the Himba and Herero tribal people of Namibia. The collection of 14 unisex bracelets are made from discarded plastic pipe, colored through a combination of sun exposure and the deep red ochre soil of the area. The aesthetic is similar to bone or horn, only without harming local wildlife. Patterns are inspired by the local landscape and rich tribal history.  Bracelet styles range from narrow bangles to wide cuffs, with a wide variety of carved designs.

The purchase of every bracelet pays fair trade wages to the individual artisan that produced it, but also supports the development of the community farm, and a secondary school scholarship program that pays school fees for students that lack financial means to continue their education.

Website: www.thebaseproject.com

Twitter: @thebaseproject

Facebook: www.facebook.com/baseproject

Tumblr: http://thebaseproject.tumblr.com

Instagram: http://instagram.com/thebaseproject

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/thebaseproject

Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/uc_uxdl-uok3f6arko-9x0ca