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Tucked off a side street in an unmarked building in Germantown sits Nisolo, a local social enterprise with a global goal of alleviating poverty through empowerment. Unassuming in its exterior, Nisolo's building does little to convey the degree of creativity that exists beneath its red roof. What started nearly two years ago as a simple line of leather footwear crafted sustainably in Peru has since developed to include handbags, accessories, and leather jewelry, too.
Behind Nisolo's new showroom doors you'll find a shoe warehouse, lofted offices, and a team of dedicated individualsPatrick Woodyard, Zoe Cleary, and Nick Meyerfocused on attaining one goal: sustainable job creation. Nisolo empowers talented artisans in impoverished, developing regions by providing them with the resources necessary to cultivate their craft.
The idea for Nisolo began when founder Patrick Woodyard, then living in Peru, saw a stark contrast between the high-quality craftsmanship around him and the scarcity of capital, consistent markets, design, and logistics needed to sustain such handiwork. 'Poverty has very little to do with lack of motivation or ability, but rather lack of access to many of the things we take for granted,” Patrick explains.
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Thanks to the empowerment and resources of Nisolo, thirty Peruvian shoemakers now have sustainable jobs, are saving money, and are even sending their children to college. 'While Nisolo facilitates a market,” Patrick continues, 'what's great is how these workers are able to improve their situations through their own hard work.”
Ultimately, Nisolo's goal is to enable the gifted artistry of those in developing areas through capital, training, and job creation. With the help of Nisolo, we can all make an effort to put our best foot forward.
100 Taylor St, Ste A20, Nashville, TN 37208; 615-952-1087, nisoloshoes.com