Why do you focus on women?

• 70% of the world’s poorest people are women.
• 2/3 of those who cannot read or write are women.
• At least 2 million girls per year are at risk of under going Female Genital Mutilation.
• AIDS is becoming a women’s disease with women increasingly bearing the brunt of the epidemic.
• 80% of refugees & trafficking victims are women.
• 100 million girls are expected to enter forced marriages in the next decade.

How are you a socially responsible brand?

• We are intentionally focused on creating sustainable economic opportunities for marginalized women.
• We support women's empowerment programs that comply with fair trade standards to ensure that the women are valued and rewarded for their work.
• We believe in training the women to create high quality, modern designs that reflect their beauty and culture.
• We desire all of our artisans to work in a safe and healthy environment.
• We use recycled and remnant materials when possible.
• We are dedicated to returning proceeds to our partner communities to fund educations, healthcare, and micro-loans.

How do the artisan communities benefit from Raven + Lily proceeds?

Proceeds from 2009:

India

• Five scholarships for girls living in the slum. 
• Prenatal care for 10 young pregnant mothers from the slum. 
• Funds to help provide for sanitation/toilets in the slum (improving health and dignity). 
• Several school scholarships for remote village children in Himalayan Mountains. 
• Funds to help start a second micro-enterprise sewing center in a remote mountain village in Northern India.

Proceeds from 2010:

Ethiopia:

• 100 children of AIDS mothers receive school school materials and supplies. 
• Food provision on Saturdays for children (and their parents) from Entoto Mountain. 
• Medical assistance and supplies for 120 women with HIV/AIDS 

Burundi:

• Food provision for 40 women for 3 months. 
• Refrigerator for food/drinks at the sewing center.
• Medical assistance for HIV/AIDS patients.
• Large donation to secure new facility to house training program and new local co-op
• "Sew Good" Designated Gifts: Numerous sewing machines and sewing supply kits have been donated to women in our partnerships.

How is Raven + Lily eco-friendly?

• We use all recycled paper for our tags, brochures, and bags
• We use reclaimed wood furniture or used furniture in our studio showroom
• Our products incorporate locally sourced, recycled materials where ever possible. See How It's Made

How does Raven + Lily practice fair trade?

Fair Trade is a system of exchange that honors producers, communities,consumers, and the environment. It is a model for the global economy rooted in people-to-people connections, justice, and sustainability.

• We seek transparency and accountability in all of our transactions.
• We encourage our artisans to develop independence.
• We seek to develop leaders and designers within each partner community.
• We desire all of our artisans to work in a safe and healthy atmosphere.
• We respect the environment by sourcing local and/or recycled materials when ever possible.
• We are intentional in every aspect of our purchasing and pay fair trade wages or above.
• We encourage our partnerships to help the women start savings accounts with their income.

Who creates the designs?

Our ultimate goal is to help train and develop designers within each artisan community.

We currently form partnerships with groups of women who have learned design skills. We connect professional designers from the West with the women’s empowerment programs in India/Africa to collaborate on creating high end, eco friendly collections. We work with independent, emerging designers as well as experienced higher end designers.

Where did you get your name?

After contemplating the words for a company name, we knew we wanted something that would capture the beauty and dignity of the women in our partnerships. We were inspired by Luke 12, where God says that we shouldn't worry about what we will eat or drink because He cares for the ravens and we are so much more valuable than birds. He also says to look at how beautiful the lillies are yet they are here today and gone tomorrow and how much more valuable we are than flowers. We feel that the value God sees in His creation, including ravens and lilies, reminds us how much more valuable we are as women.