When Jessica Rodriguez stepped up to address the audience in Washington, D.C. along side of Hillary Clinton at the first Pathways to Prosperity Women Entrepreneurs Conference in October, it was a step that few would have imagined her taking just one decade ago--least of all, perhaps Jessica herself. But the journey that led her to be chosen as an honored guest at the U.S. State Department's Pathways to Prosperity Program, recognizing woman-owned businesses throughout the developing world,was one that Jessica set in motion many years ago, with the support of Indigenous Designs, a fair trade and organic fashion company.

Jessica's story begins in a small, remote community in the Andes of southern Peru, where she was inspired to make a difference in women's lives. Jessica's artisan community was experiencing crushing poverty and hope for prosperity was as scarce as the jobs that never seemed to materialize. That is, until Jessica created a foundation to train women for job opportunities and connect the artisan knitters in her community to the U.S based organic fashion company, Indigenous Designs. Jessica committed herself fully to creating not only sustainable jobs, but a community connected by family, tradition, and commitment to mutual support and success.

Although there was no viable industry to speak of in Jessica's isolated Andean community, it did possess a generations-old tradition of artisan textiles. Among those plying this knitting trade were Mario and Maria Huisa. In their one-room, 8'x8' house that doubled as a knitting space, the Huisas worked on a single knitting loom to create handmade works of wearable art. The income stream was small, but it was honest work, and it honored their heritage. When Jessica met the Huisas, she saw a spark in them that deeply inspired her. "They had passion," she explained, "and they wanted to make a difference within their village and family, but because of their distant location, the opportunity for work was scarce."

Each night the cold high desert air would sweep through that room, leaving the Huisas concerned for their children's health. "Children are dying in the highlands during the winter months and it is a big problem," Jessica said. "It is not their fault that they were born in a poor area with no opportunity for work and such desolate conditions. I met these people and I just wanted to do my part to bring them work and opportunity."

One day in 1998, Scott Leonard and Matt Reynolds, two young social entrepreneurs and co-founders of Indigenous Designs, walked into the lives of the Huisa's. They came with a unique, sustainable, fair-trade business model that respected both people and the environment. Jessica's efforts to employ the women of the region appealed deeply to the young entrepreneurs, and the Huisa's artful skill and determination was a catalyst for expansion. Soon Scott and Matt made plans with Jessica to oversee the Indigenous Designs fair trade production model in the south of Peru so that she could hire more artisan knitters and in turn, pay them better wages.

Jessica is now responsible for over 700 families, with each family earning good, fair living wages through Indigenous Designs' production. The Huisas are still producing for Jessica and Indigenous. Through their hard work and initiative they have built a bigger, warmer home, and their workshop has grown to have ten hand powered knitting machines, providing work for more than 35 artisan knitters in their local community. The commitment and vision shared by the Huisas, Jessica, and Indigenous Designs has led to their joint success. "We shared a fundamental belief that with opportunity and sustainable planning, positive change would happen," Scott Leonard said.

It was precisely this belief that the State Department sought to recognize when they invited Jessica to speak and tour as part of its Pathways to Prosperity for Women Entrepreneurs. The program recognizes woman-owned businesses throughout the developing world that provide an example of entrepreneurship and empowerment that can help lead communities out of poverty and into shared prosperity.

During the conference, Secretary Clinton discussed how empowering women was integral to progress, prosperity, and peace in every country, and praised women like Jessica Rodriguez for having the courage and commitment to work for a better future.

Fifteen years ago Indigenous embarked on a journey that required creating a unique, one of a kind foundation with community and the environment as corner stones. Sustainability, patience, passion and love define the seeds that took root to form Indigenous. It was these seeds that forged the Indigenous path in remote cottage industry communities throughout Peru and Ecuador.

"Working one step at a time, the growth we have helped accomplish within our cottage industry communities has been transformative, empowering and uplifting. Today, we provide work to over 1,500 artisan families throughout South America," Matt Reynolds said.

Indigenous has won awards for its ability to form networks that provide education, fair trade and organic certification, opportunities for advancement, and other vital forms of assistance to help elevate these talented artisans onto the world stage. The company takes a sustainable approach to fashion, focusing on attention to style, detail, and luxurious eco fibers, while embracing fair trade principals and the time honored skills of artisans.

Indigenous provides shoppers with alternatives to conventional fashion by offering organic, eco-friendly creations and novel designs that result in a cohesive collection of go-to favorites for the modern woman, without submitting to a unethical manufacturing processes that are short-sighted and harm the environment.

"We design and produce fashion that honors both people and the planet," says Leonard, "Our designs appeal to both the fashionistas and sophisticated consumers. Our customer is looking for premium quality ethical fashion with 'go anywhere, always-appropriate' styling." That’s what we do, and we are proud to bring our designs to the world through empowering production partners like Jessica Rodriguez.

Indigenous Designs

Indigenous Designs

Our garments are made by the hands and hearts of artisans in many types of communities throughout the globe. By working directly with these artisans and their knitting cooperatives, a strong partnership has evolved to support their visions in managing sustainable commerce. We assist the artisans with quality control measures, sound production and planning management, as well as research and design for the local and world markets.

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