Proud Mary creates all of its products in collaboration with artisans in developing countries. Our “ethnic modern” aesthetic combines modern design with traditional methods of weaving or printing. Our artisans are paid a fair wage and we are committed to establishing and maintaining a sustainable working relationship with them.
We are currently working in Guatemala and South Africa. Our first collection of pillows, bags, accessories and fabric by the yard was woven by three different weaving cooperatives in Guatemala. The fabric was then sewn by a cooperative in Solola, Guatemala that was started by a group of widows resulting from the Guatemalan conflict in the 1980’s. We were connected to these amazing talents in Guatemala through the help of Nest. Nest is a micro-finance organization whose loans go to women artisans in developing countries for their craft based businesses.
Read more about Nest here.

A small cooperative outside of Capetown, South Africa printed our most recent collection. These women are extremely meticulous and create wonderful patterned fabrics using the humble potato as their tool. The time consuming work is definitely a labor of love! Seamstresses and quilters in and around Charleston, S.C, sew the final products including pillows and limited edition accessories.

In addition to providing market access for their textile goods our goal is to be able to invest in various projects that benefit the artists and their communities. We believe that education and empowerment of women is a true avenue for change in the developing world. We are currently donating 5% of tote bag sales to Nest to support their microfinance work. We will keep you updated on new projects as they arise!

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