Current brand crush: ABLE

I have a few brands that I associate with my very first forays into ethical fashion. ABLE is one of them. When I was working for a conscious jewellery brand researching competitors, I fell upon their collection (which was then just jewellery, a couple of scarves and one beautiful leather tote bag).

Over the next couple of years, I watched the jewellery brand slowly grow into a one-stop online boutique for every facet of your wardrobe. They intentionally and gracefully added new categories, and it excited me to see that a favourite brand of mine could become the place where I could go for any items I needed, when my trusted older pieces got holes or faded.

All about ABLE

• Founded in 2010 by Barrett Ward after his experiences living in Ethiopia and getting to know the women there
• Its mission: to provide economic opportunity for women, to end generational poverty both in Ethiopia, and where they’re based (Nashville, TN)
• ABLE reports all salaries, encouraging full transparency for conscious businesses
• ABLE is a full lifestyle brand, encompassing categories from jewellery to apparel, footwear, denim and accessories

After years of following them and purchasing a few key items from them, they reached out and asked if I wanted to partner. Hello! This is the dream situation: a brand and I who equally align, and who I’ve been a loyal customer of for years. Below, I’m going to recap all the pieces from ABLE that I’ve purchased myself since the first days when they only had a few items on their site, and very soon I’ll share PART 2 of this post of some fun new items that are part of their newest collection.

The links in this post are affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase by clicking on one of them, I get a small commission. If you do, I hope you love your piece as much as I love mine! Thank you for supporting my work <3

ABLE items I’ve purchased

No. 1 // Crossbody Bag

Back on a work trip to LA a few years ago, I visited a little shop that happened to carry some of ABLE’s bags. I immediately freaked out and tried to not buy everything. Finally seeing their pieces in-person was a luxury, since I didn’t know of any stockists near me. This little crossbody was the perfect first purchase: it fit my phone, lipstick, card sleeve, keys—all the essentials without being bulky. It’s my favourite music festival or travel friend.

>> Shop Crossbody Bags

No. 2 // Debre Wallet

This wallet is a gem for holding a cell phone, keys, you name it! I’m the kind of bag-minimalist that enjoys the freedom of having a wallet + clutch all in one, and this one’s it. My only caveat is that there’s no place for loose change, so if you’re a card-user like me, you’ll be just fine.

>> Shop the Debre Wallet

No. 3 // Hailu Wallet

Yes, I did just say I am a card-user, but there are occasions where I need loose change, especially when travelling. The Hailu Wallet is gorgeous not only in silhouette but also in the options for contrasting colours—oh, and did I mention it still fits my phone, and the change purse is removable?

>> Shop the Hailu Wallet

No. 5 // White Cropped T-Shirt

Back when ABLE first launched their apparel, I bought this cropped white t-shirt (I didn’t have a single plain white tee in my wardrobe at the time). It was in the beginning while they were still testing out fabrics, and unfortunately this one was not as opaque as I had hoped. However, blessing in disguise: it’s now a wonderful workout or pyjama top! What I will say is that the fabrics they use are really pleasantly soft and buttery.

>> Shop Apparel

No. 6 // Martha Pouch (medium)

I’ve been using this pouch every day since I bought it. Its most frequent home is in my commuting backpack, where it holds all the essentials so they don’t get lost at the bottom of my bag. Headphones, phone charger, tissues, pens, you name it. It’s large enough that it’s easy to grab even if I’m not looking. When it’s not in my work bag, it makes a wonderful clutch. It’s easy to go from weekday to weekend, since it already has all the essentials in it. Pop it under my arm, and go! It’s great as a travel companion, too – keeps all my cables and plug adaptors organized. I’ve been planning on purchasing another, because they’re so sturdy and useful for everything! The way the leather ages is also beautiful – each little scratch and tint is a memory and ads to the beauty of it.

>> Shop the Martha Pouch

So that’s the story of ABLE and I! I’m waiting for a package from their new collection to arrive, a gift to celebrate us partnering up (and don’t worry, there’ll be a special discount code, too). But the funny story about the package? It arrived to my work, and one of our travel heads accidentally grabbed my box along with all of his—and he brought it all the way to Ecuador! So while I wait for him to return from his stint over there and bring my ABLE package back home, you can get familiar with the brand and see what they’re all about!

Curious about anything ABLE? Shoot me a note in the comments section below!

xo

PetraAlexandra