At LA76 Strategic Design we are proud to be part of Mala and Mantra’s efforts to help build awareness and raise funds for the most damaged by Hurricane Odile.  Mala and Mantra‘s “I Am Cabo” Collection is the first in the “Crafted for a Cause” Series, with the aim to benefit relief efforts in Los Cabos on the one year anniversary of hurricane Odile. LA76 is part of the project with lifestyle and product photographs of the collection.

Mala and Mantra, a consciously created accessories company, has launched its “Crafted for a Cause” line designed to raise funds for pressing social causes.  The first in the series is the “I Am Cabo Collection,” a Cabo-inspired bracelet line that will donate five dollars of every sale to the Cabo Hurricane Fund, a nonprofit organization committed to providing emergency relief and rebuilding the Los Cabos neighborhoods of Mexico that were devastated by Hurricane Odile last September.

Inspired by the colors and textures of the famous Cabo arch and picturesque sun, sea, and sand, this beautiful collection for both men and women features two mala bracelet variations strung with whitewood, rosewood, yellow jade, picture jasper, and howlite turquoise.

Hurricane Odile, one of the most destructive hurricanes on record in the region, destroyed an estimated 8,000 homes primarily in the poorer urban communities, displacing thousands of families.  While the economic and tourist regions have largely been rebuilt over the past year, many local residents still lack permanent housing.

The Cabo Hurricane Fund was formed to support these most vulnerable communities in Los Cabos, and this past August, the first family was able to move into their new home (read more about it here).  The sustainable social housing solution was strategically planned and designed by Capa LAB‘s founders Mariano Arias Diez (a10 studio) and Gonzalo Elizarraras (fabriKG).  With current funding, the Cabo Hurricane Fund will be able to build about 30 more houses, but hopes to continue their work through further partnerships and support from companies like Mala and Mantra.

“The I Am Cabo collection will be an incredible support for the Cabo Hurricane Fund project,” says Craig Nason, associate director of the Grassroots Global Development Foundation, which has managed the fund. “Beyond bringing funding to our housing projects, the pieces themselves capture the beauty and resilience of the Cabo community.  They are a reminder of our initial vision and a celebration of the global community that is participating in post-Odile recovery.”

In the future,  Judith Compton, the founder and creator of the California-based accessories line, plans to continue “Crafted for a Cause” with collections that will raise money for causes including breast cancer research and support for children and education in impoverished communities, as well as establish jewelry-making programs that will support women in need.  To have the greatest impact possible, Mala and Mantra conducts extensive research to ensure that each non-profit supported allocates the majority of funds directly towards its cause.

“I created Mala and Mantra to spread the message of mindfulness, empower underprivileged women through sustainable work, and provide support to those who need it most,” Compton says. “While all of our current items are crafted by a fair trade women’s cooperative in the Philippines, I also wanted to design a new collection several times a year that would assist and provide wellness to the global community.”

The “I am Cabo” bracelets are beautiful, fun to layer and mix, and everyone at LA76 team uses them daily!  To get your  #IAmCabo bracelet or learn more about #CraftedForACause, please visit their website here.

The I am Cabo bracelets are available for purchase also in Cabo San Lucas at: The Spa at Pedregal, AlmArte at Resort at Pedregal, V Fraiche restaurant, Villa Valentina, and One & Only Palmilla.

About Mala and Mantra:  Mala and Mantra was created in Spring 2013 by retail industry expert Judith P. Compton.  Its debut collection of fashionable, handmade, and hand-knotted mala bead bracelets and necklaces was unveiled in February 2014 and features a lineup of 36 products designed with intention in San Diego and consciously created in the Philippines.  With a focus on wellness, mindfulness, and self-discovery, Mala and Mantra products support their wearers in living a life of intention.

Photo credit: LA76 Photography