The Back-story -- How TWIG & PEARL Came to be..
After years of working towards becoming a Womens-wear designer, In 2014 I (Rebecca) left my Job designing custom women's wear and bridal gowns, to find and build something that I believed in.
I spent months soul-searching, learning new skills, and scribbling down ideas, sketches, and plans for what on earth I would do next with my life.
​
I began with zero leather-work training and zero clue of how to make a handbag. I developed my first few leather handbag prototypes (Early versions of the current Ashley tote and Mona minibag) and at 22 I launched TWIG & PEARL with a pile of ideas, very little marketing and business know-how, raw and completely un-refined bag making skills, and 5 big goals:
1.) To build a fashion brand that would celebrate the things I love so dearly about Belizean life
2.) To create a waste-free small batch production process based entirely around sustainability and our value of the environment
3.) To use a minimum of 70% natural materials in the construction of each of our pieces
4.) To build in-house production by training & employing Belizean women
5.) to build and launch one of Belize's first e-commerce stores, catering for both local and international sales.
I'm excited because just a few years later, I've seen these five goals, one-by-one, reached. We've launched our line in our own online shop, trained and now employ two amazing young artisan women, and we produce all our pieces in-house from natural locally sourced leather, hardwood, and hand-printed cotton.
