Women-led collective aims to educate through sustainable products
Source: https://newsismybusiness.com/women-led-collective-aims-to-educate-through-sustainable-products/
Author: Yamilet Aponte-Claudio
Modo Consciente, a women-led collective of 11 local brand companies, aims to educate Puerto Rican shoppers of their consumerism through their sustainable choices of fashion, beauty products, jewelry, and more. Marxuach, a designer artist and former professor of plastic arts and ceramics, created Concalma in 2005 after investing $8,000, getting a $25,000 commercial loan, and feeling inspired to create cloth bags for grocery shopping. “We have to be aware that we are destroying the planet simply to generate profits for large companies, 16 years ago it was the conversation we wanted to bring and today it is the one we are having,” said Marxuach. Another brand that is looking to continue distributing their products as well as educate Puerto Rican consumers is Materia Madura, with their home good products made from sustainable materials, such as plantain and coffee waste. “With the $20,000 funding provided by the Pre-18 program we participated in, we launched our business, and we currently are looking to expand from our 500 square feet location in Río Piedras, as well as get more employees,” said Ana Quiñones, founder of Materia Madura.