NEW YORK & TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Powered by People (PBP), the wholesale marketplace for conscious buyers, announced today that it has partnered with global design company, West Elm to support the growing consumer demand for unique, sustainably produced products for the modern home. As part of the partnership, a new collection of more than 150 products curated by PBP and produced by artisan makers representing nine countries is now available to consumers on westelm.com/powered-by-people. Customers shopping the curated collection will also be able to learn about the artisan makers on West Elm’s website. New products and makers will be continually added to the PBP x West Elm collection.
“We are thrilled to partner with West Elm, one of most innovative home retailers in the world today,” said Alison Phillips, Co-Founder and Chief Design Officer of Powered by People. “West Elm’s support of global artisans is a testament to the growing consumer demand for unique, authentic products that are sustainably sourced and produced with fair employment practices.”
The new collection available at launch includes a range of handcrafted products and gifts priced from $8 to $650. Items and artisans include Gharyan Stoneware’s mineral clay and olivewood tableware from Tunisia; punch needle technique pillows from South Africa’s Cotton Tree; artisanal candles from Canada’s Field Kit; terracotta serveware and recycled glassware from Alcantara-Frederic, Morocco; organic soapstone and raffia mobiles from Floc, Kenya; elephant grass baskets woven in Ghana from Big Blue Moma; modernist ceramic vases from India’s Osmos Studio; Wayil by Algodones Maya’s pillows hand woven from their own home grown Guatemalan cotton; and from Mexico, Aurea’s contemporary wall hangings, Al Centro’s soulful ceramics, and Rafful Studio’s textile tapestries and mirrors.
“We are excited to partner with Powered by People to further our commitment to supporting artisans worldwide,” said Catherine Schwartz, SVP of Merchandising at West Elm. “We look forward to expanding our maker community with a company that shares our dedication to sourcing responsibly made, beautiful products.”
Powered by People enables sustainable small-batch makers by giving them access to global markets through its B2B tech platform while also providing the digital tools and financing resources artisans need to scale their businesses in a meaningful way. Its rapidly growing network of over 500 small-batch producers across more than 50 countries gives retailers and trade access to high-quality, responsibly made products across the home, fashion, jewelry and apothecary categories.
Powered by People’s marketplace allows conscious retailers of any size to satisfy the growing consumer demand for authentic, differentiated and sustainably made products while simultaneously providing small-batch makers with the access and agency they need to grow their businesses. While the World Economic Forum forecasts that the handmade and small-batch sector will reach $1 trillion by 2024, the sector has historically lacked investment, digitization and access to global markets—despite being the world’s second-largest employer after agriculture. Powered by People uses tech for good to level the playing field for makers so they can compete with much larger manufacturers of factory-made goods.
To learn more about West Elm + Powered by People, please visit westelm.com/powered-by-people.
About Powered by People
Powered by People was founded in 2021 by Ella Peinovich, Hedvig Alexander and Alison Phillips, passionate social entrepreneurs whose combined experience in technology, economic development, design and retail have made a positive impact on the lives of artisans in communities all over the world. The company’s B2B wholesale platform seamlessly connects buyers in North America and Europe with small-batch producers in more than 50 countries around the world. The Powered by People marketplace makes responsible, sustainable and social-impact buying easy by providing financing to makers and flexible payment terms to buyers. International communications, payments and logistics are supported through the company for frictionless transactions. Ultimately, Powered by People is maker-led with a mission to take small batch mainstream. When small businesses thrive, they support not just themselves, but also their employees, families and communities. As they grow, Powered by People grows. To learn more, please visit www.poweredbypeople.com.
About West Elm
Born in Brooklyn in 2002, West Elm is a global design company dedicated to transforming people’s lives and spaces through creativity, style, and purpose. We create original, modern, and affordable home decor, and curate a global selection of local, ethically sourced, and Fair Trade Certified™ products available online and in 100+ stores worldwide. We are a part of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM), the world's largest digital-first, design-led and sustainable home retailer, and participate in The Key Rewards, a free-to-join loyalty program that offers members exclusive benefits across the fleet of best-in-class brands.