Hi everyone! I’m Jen from Paisley + Sparrow. I currently
live in Minneapolis with my husband of 6 months! I spend my free time running
around the lakes, knitting and crocheting, and baking sweets. I have a deep
love for coffee, dark chocolate and anything related to Christmas!
Paisley + Sparrow is a carefully curated collection of
ethical fashion merchandise. It is full of gorgeous jewelry, scarves, bags,
baskets and more that are all empowering women, creating sustainable business
and bringing hope to women all over the world. I started it after spending 11
months abroad on a mission trip called the World Race. While abroad, I worked
with a number of really amazing organizations, a few that sparked the idea of
opening up a store! One was with a school in Uganda where we worked with girls
who had been abducted by the LRA. Once rescued, they couldn’t enter into the
“normal” school system since many times they were too old or had babies. The
school we worked with took in all of these girls and educated them from where
they needed to start all the way through vocational training so they could get
a job. These girls ran a local bakery in town and also made jewelry.
The other organization I worked with was in Thailand. We
worked with girls who were formally sex trafficked. Once these girls were
rescued they were able to stay at the home we worked at getting counseling,
education and ultimately a job. While they were there they would make jewelry -
the jewelry was sold to help keep this amazing organization going.
When I returned home I had a burning desire to do something
to help out these organizations. I believe that God used my mission trip to
give me the idea for Paisley +
Sparrow to create a way to sell products that allows amazing
organizations continue helping women who desperately needed help. I
currently sell online and
also through markets and pop up shops all around the Twin Cities.
Some of my favorite pieces in my shop are:
Some of my favorite pieces in my shop are:
- bullet casing jewelry (such as the Soresa earrings or the Birhanu necklace) - farmers in Ethiopia collect bullet casings, sell them to local artisans who then melt them down and create beads out of them, all the while creating jobs and a way for them to support their families. It’s truly something meant for harm that is bringing life, hope and jobs for many women in Ethiopia
- woven baskets - these baskets are handmade by widows in Tanzania. They are one of 2 sources of income for these women and Paisley + Sparrow is the only place you can buy them! I was blown away by the quality of these baskets when I received them. They are extremely well made and heavy duty yet beautiful!
- scarves (especially the Niguse in evergreen) - these scarves are 100% cotton and are handmade by women in Ethiopia. They’re perfect to keep you warm all winter long!
The holiday season is a perfect time to choose gifts that have a purpose behind them. Your friends and family will love knowing the gift you picked out is helping to change lives all over the world!
~Jen Biswas
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