HOW WE STARTED

2018

Moving to Bikini Berlin and expanding in Germany
The ABURY flagship store found a new home in the Bikini Berlin Shopping Mall next to the buzzing Ku'damm in Berlin West. Here ABURY is not only showcasing their own collections, but is offering a variety of products all following the basic principles: Exclusive Design, Handmade Quality and Social Impact. During this year ABURY has expanded its retail partnerships and is now represented in over 50 shops all around Germany.

2017

A new certification and a new culture on the ABURY map
ABURY adds a new culture to their production countries. The third ABURY Design Experience takes place in Ethiopia, which is also the origin of the third PortrAid project “Get art. Give work.”, which finances new looms for a weaving community in Addis Ababa. In the same year ABURY gets B Corp certified, a certification that awards businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.

2016

ABURY World
After five years at ABURY - living and working in many different countries, with designers from various backgrounds, in craft communities with unique cultural heritage - we encountered many amazing and breathtaking people and stories. We decided to bring these people, stories and products from far away places from all over the world to you. On our platform to shop, in our blogzine "One of a Mind" to read! In the same year, the ABURY Foundation initiated the second PortrAid project “I see you learn” to finance pre-school education for children in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco.

2015

ABURY Design Experience, PortrAid and the FABtalks
The year of new ideas: To leverage the impact and create more international awareness, the ABURY Design Experience was born - an annual global contest in search for emerging designers to create an accessory capsule collection using traditional crafts knowledge from different cultures. In the first year we already received applications from 35 nationalities. In the same year the ABURY Foundation launched PortrAid, an art aided charity project that uses photography to help others. In the first project “I see you see” we enabled treated Moroccan artisans with cataract and gave them their eyesight back. Another new format: The FABtalks - fresh fashion and business talks in an arty environment. Until today we have hosted more than 20 FABtalks with partners such as KPMG, Dr. Hauschka, and AEG.

2014

And so ABURY launched the second collection
Our curiosity took us to Ecuador where an artisanal cooperative of women needed support to develop their business with new design perspectives. ABURY launched the second collection.

2013

The official launch: Entering the market and a flagship store in Berlin
Two years later the Berber Collection was officially presented to the market, yet ABURY was lacking the personal contact that enables the storytelling. After long days of scouting for a store, the perfect home for the ABURY products was found in Berlin, and so ABURY started offering handmade and fair trade products online and offline.

2011

First collection in Morocco and the ABURY Foundation
Andrea realized that new strategies to preserve the traditional bags were needed and to do so, bringing together the charming appeal of traditional handicraft and a modern design spirit was essential. Andrea created ABURY and based on the three ABURY pillars - innovative, modern design, handmade quality and social impact - the ABURY Berber Collection was born. From the beginning, ABURY has used a social entrepreneurial concept, where 50% of all profits are re-invested in social projects through the ABURY Foundation.

2010

Discovering, collecting and preserving a Berber treasure
Surrounding herself in the immense cultural heritage of the Moroccans, the traditional Berber bags grabbed Andrea’s attention: The way they were handmade using a unique embroidery technique fascinated her. The idea that this crafts technique could get lost was devastating, so she started to collect vintage pieces she came across.

2008

Andrea moves to Marrakesh to renovate an old riad
On the site and while working with local craftsmen, Andrea found herself captivated by the immense handicraft heritage of the Moroccan people. However, she also realized how threatened this cultural heritage was by the fast consumerism. The riad Andrea was renovating at that time is known as the AnaYela today, a five star hotel in Marrakesh, which is still managed by her.
Hours of education
have been given back to the ABURY communities.

 

To pay fair salaries is a start, but not enough!
Every time you buy an ABURY product,
you are transforming its hours of production in hours of Education
to the Communities where the product was made.

Learn more about the ABURY Foundation and our projects
for social development in the ABURY communities.

 

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TOGETHER WE MAKE IT FASHIONABLE TO CARE

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