Growing up in Asia I was surrounded by extreme wealth but also immense poverty. It was not uncommon to see beggars on street corners, or elderly women sleeping in the streets in the middle of the winter. When I started KAYU, I knew that I wanted to incorporate social responsibility into the fabric of our business. That's why all our products are made with the utmost committment to the earth and it's people.

Our line of eyewear is handcrafted from bamboo a fast-growing grass and sustainable material. Avoidable blindness is a health problem that affects 36 million people. That's why, for every pair of glasses purchased KAYU donates all the funds needed for one sight-restoring surgery in the developing world. One pair of glasses = One sight-restoring surgery.

Our collection of clutches celebrate women in all her forms. All of our bags are made by women's cooperatives in the Philippines using techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation. In addition, for every bag purchased KAYU donates a portion of profits towards women entrepreneus.

As our collection expands we continue to search for ways to give back to our community, be it through supporting indigenous handicraft or donating funds to those less fortunate.

If you'd like to learn more about our social and environmental initiatives please contact me at jamie@kayudesign.com