"I learned that perfection does not exist and the definition of success is evolution. We must always be evolving and innovative in our business."
PART OF THE SOLUTION Ecology and sustainability have been Mavis' inspirations all along. She loves cycling outdoors and traveling solo around the world and has seen firsthand how our waste is polluting the planet. Each bag is made from recycled plastic bottles and constructed by hand. "After working in the fashion industry and with international companies, my eyes were opened to see how badly the industries are polluting our planet and the lack of sustainable change in some industries. So, I started my business with the idea to be part of the plastic pollution solution by creating a beautiful handbag that will speak for the planet and for the people and to be a company that leads by example." Customers can also choose to retire a Mavis by Herrera bag within one year of purchase. The bags are cleaned up and recycled into new bags, and the customer receives a significant credit toward a new bag. Mavis by Herrera pays artisans a living wage to achieve financial independence. Also, the company contributes towards children's education and donates shoes to charity, one pair with each bag sold. The idea for the shoe program, Shoes for Souls, came about when Mavis was a child and thought it would be fun to join other kids playing barefoot in Baja, California. She later realized the children were barefoot because their parents couldn't afford shoes. So, while in college, she started an effort to collect and donate shoes to low-income communities. In an annual event sponsored by Mavis by Herrera, children paint and decorate pairs of shoes to give to other children.
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