Nest Inc

Nest's ethical handcraft program is revolutionizing the industry by making homework a safe and viable option for workers worldwide. Leveraging international labor organization principles, nest developed the first-ever set of universally applicable standards and verification methodology for decentralized supply chains in the unregulated informal economy. Estimates suggest that around the world 300 million people, the majority of whom are women, are working from their homes or small workshops to support fashion and home decor production. This work ranges from skilled-based labor like hand-knotting rugs and sewing soles onto shoes, to stringing beaded jewelry, crafting decorative tassels, folding tissue paper, and packing poly bags. For these workers, handwork offers them an opportunity to earn an income while caring for their families and limits the need for long and sometimes dangerous travel into cities. Launched at the united nations alongside a committee of founding brands and retailers, the program has reached supply chains on 5 continents. Today, nest partners with brands like target, west elm, pottery barn, and patagonia to implement ethical handcraft programming within select supply chains. To date, the connections nest has made between retailers and artisans have yielded $6.7 million in purchase orders for the members of the nest guild. 50,000+ artisans, across 172 businesses and 202 supply chains, have been positively impacted through the ethical handcraft program.fee for service programs: nest's sourcing services advance transparency, social wellbeing, and economic opportunity for global artisans and us makers by facilitating matches between brands and designers and nest's network of artisans and makers. Nest collaborates with industry-leading brands including chlo, ralph lauren, tory burch, west elm, and madewell to celebrate the beauty and artisanship of makers in the united states and artisan business leaders worldwide through curated handcrafted collections. Nest believes that sustainable economic growth for artisans is achieved through transparent sourcing relationships, which is why nest connects brands and designers with handcraft vendors or independent makers directly. We never require exclusivity agreements that may inhibit an artisan business' ability to grow and encourage celebration and storytelling for the artisans involved. Nest's model fosters successful long-term relationships between makers and brands. Our consultations, reports, and retainer services support the creation of craft vendor profiles with beautiful product photos, details on the techniques, as well as contact information, approximate prices and lead times. All of nest services include an exclusive artisan best practice training based on nest's two decades of experience for corporate teams, as well as marketing and storytelling support for launches. Nest partners with designers, brands, and retailers of all sizes to provide highly customized sourcing services and deliver innovative impact solutions which prioritize diversity, equity, inclusion, and circularity. Through customized initiatives, like the etsy's uplift makers program, and unique upcycling solutions, we work alongside brands to develop opportunities to support us makers and global artisans that extend beyond sourcing to benefit individuals, families, and communities.

Research & advocacy: makers united brings visibility to under-represented makers and the challenges they face to inclusion in the micro- and small-business economy by mapping the regional landscape of small business supports and connecting the dots between makers and the local, national, and peer resources they need. We publish a report that showcases the opportunities for the creative economy in each city we work in to help build a strong ecosystem of support for makers. Nest's research and advocacy initiatives aim to bring industry and public awareness to the often overlooked and under-represented handworker sector. Recognizing the disproportionate impact of more frequent and costly severe weather events on small, creative businesses, we partnered with the environmental defense fund, with support from etsy, to develop a new set of resources for us makers.from thought leadership pieces to concise research briefs and full reports, nest's publications investigate research topics that are timely and important to the sector and aim to synthesize results in a way that can be conveyed with ease to any audience.