East African-Inspired Lifestyle & Accessories Brand Serves Up an Exotic Handcrafted Collection that Gives Back

New York, NY (March 30, 2016) – In a world of fashion and design, nothing completes your overall look like the right accessories. Many enjoy the luxury of handcrafted accessories because of their high quality and attention to detail, making them truly inspired pieces. Often these products are created by talented makers allowing artisans to make a living while working on their craft. Harkiss Designs is a social enterprise specializing in finely crafted lifestyle accessories, bringing the unique handcrafted beauty of exotic East Africa to the international marketplace while helping artisan communities build strong, sustainable economic futures. A percentage of all sales from Harkiss go to charitable organization, LEND a HAND UGANDA-USA.

Harkiss is based on the idea of compassionate entrepreneurship. Every product is handcrafted by East African artisans (most of whom are women responsible for supporting their entire family) in the comfortable and safe setting of a co-op in their community. Harkiss Designs promotes this concept with the slogan “Empowering East African women one item at a time.”

Harkiss Designs has carefully selected talented artisans and the sustainable materials that they use. The East African artisans fashion the products with coconut wood, horn, leather, beads, and traditional Kikoy or hand woven fiber. Harkiss Designs is Fair Trade Federation certified, so you can trust that each and every product is ethically sourced and produced. The brand is unrivaled in its organic flavor, exquisite aesthetic and exotic vibe, offering a variety of fashion accessories including handbags, jewelry, shoes & sandals and home décor.

“Our collections of products are so striking and fashionable and make the perfect accessory to complete your style and distinct any home décor,” states CEO of Harkiss Designs, Harriet Zaffoni. “I’ve really strived with the idea behind this brand. I want to internationally display the beauty of East Africa through the uniquely handcrafted designs of all the talented and hardworking artisans within our brand, and to give back to their families and communities.”

Harriet Zaffoni, both a businesswoman and a philanthropist, is the creative force and CEO behind Harkiss Designs. By establishing and supporting craft co-cops in East African communities, she provides at-risk women with marketable skills. By bringing the fruits of their labor to the international marketplace, she supplies artisans with the means to sell their work. As a compassionate capitalist, she reinvests a significant part of the sales proceeds into education, job training and critical services for the artisans and their East African communities.

Through foster care services, education, healthcare, and more, Harkiss Designs goal is to strengthen families and communities in Uganda. The brand believes that skills training and community development programs are essential for real change to arise. With every purchase from Harkiss Designs, a percentage of the sales goes to LEND a HAND UGANDA-USA, a charitable organization that works to give vulnerable and orphaned children in Kampala, Uganda a real chance. Harkiss is very determined to make the change that the young people of Uganda deserve, and appreciate all support by purchases through Harkiss Designs or by making donations to LEND a HAND UGANDA-USA.

About Harkiss Designs

Harkiss Designs is a social enterprise specializing in finely crafted fashion accessories and home décor, including handbags, jewelry, shoes & sandals, and home décor. The brand is extraordinary in its organic flavor, exquisite aesthetic and exotic vibe.  Based on the idea of compassionate capitalism, every product is handcrafted by carefully selected East African artisans, using sustainable materials, and a percentage of the sales goes to charitable organization, LEND a HAND UGANDA-USA. The New York-based retailer markets not only unique, finely handcrafted products of East Africa, but also the opportunity for purchasers to help make a positive difference in the lives of the artisans, their families and their communities by building strong, sustainable economic futures.