Shame on me for calling this a “trend” but when everyone jumped on the “Charity Train” I was a bit skeptical. I’m not saying giving is bad, but when the intentions are driven by sales and not the cause, that’s when I get angry. But I was forever wrong with this one! I’m beginning to learn that a huge number of our companies we deal with have silent charities and donating partners and customers probably aren’t even aware of them! We have so many companies doing this that I can’t fit all of them in one blog. Every week we will highlight a new charity that South Coast carries. I want to share with you all these great givers and what we can do to help!

 Pura Vida, meaning “pure life” in Spanish, stands for enjoying life slowly, celebrating good fortune, and never taking life for granted. This is the vision for Pura Vida bracelets- colorful, funky, handmade bracelets from Costa Rica that you can stack up for a fun look! But style isn’t all these bracelets provide! While traveling through Costa Rica, the founders of Pura Vida realized with little tourism and low paying jobs, local jewelry makers had a hard time making ends meet. Every bracelet you purchase will help local artisans find full time jobs. They also donate 1% to Surfrider Foundation to help clean up beaches and preserve our coastlines worldwide. They don’t stop there- you can pick the charity you want to help out with their “charity bracelets”. Choose from different charities like Breast Cancer, Autism, Alzheimer’s, Japan Tsunami Relief, Best Friend Animal Society, and MANY more. Visit www.puravida.com to read their story and stop into South Coast Wahines to support charities world wide!

“Express Your Lifestyle”

How it all started…

Two friends decided to hit the beaches of Costa Rica for five weeks to celebrate their college graduation. Between the beautiful sunsets and the rolling breakers, they began to deeply appreciate the simple lifestyle of the people and cultures they encountered.

One day, the pair was visiting a small community in Costa Rica when they noticed a man named Jorge peddling bracelets on the street. The colorful bracelets were handmade in a simple way and seemed to capture the essence of their journey. The pair quickly asked Jorge if he would be willing to make them 400 bracelets to take back to the states with them. Within a matter of a few weeks they became great friends with Jorge. When they first met Jorge, he was living in a single room with three beds shared by several other members of his family. Soon after returning to the states they were able to give him enough business to live comfortably in a house and have his amigos work with him. Jorge went from selling 2-5 bracelets a week to upwards of 15,000 a week. They are now selling them in 700+ surf shops, boutiques, college book stores, and a few large chain stores nationwide. Each one has a unique and different color combination so coming across someone with your exact bracelet will be a tough find.

Once returning to the states the two friends soon began to realize that these simple string bracelets were more then just your everyday bracelet, they were a movement. Pura Vida Bracelets are simple, unique, hand-made bracelets that have a great story behind them. Upon returning to California the two friends decided to put the bracelets in a bowl at a boutique shop. Before long, they had all sold out and people were asking for more. They decided to contact the man and buy more, and the relationship soon blossomed into a full-fledged business. The business that formed only a few months ago is now called Pura Vida Bracelets. The phrase “Pura Vida” (pu·ra vi·da) means pure life in Spanish. Enjoying life slowly, celebrating good fortune and not taking anything for granted embodies the Pura Vida Lifestyle. Each original bracelet is handmade in Costa Rica with a unique combination of colors. The hard work that went into making each bracelet represents the dedication and respect for the beautiful land that we all live in.

Selecting your “Pura Vida” bracelet isn’t always a quick task. Local jewelers spend days, even weeks creating specific bracelets to express their lifestyle. From vibrant colors to earth tones, Pura Vida Bracelets has any combination for you.

Pura Vida is also a member of One Percent for the Planet and donates a portion of its proceeds to the Surfrider Foundation, a grassroots foundation dedicated to cleaning up beaches and oceans around the world.

www.PuraVidaBracelets.com

Pura Vida Bracelets are available at South Coast Wahines in OB and PB and have been very popular with our customers. South Coast also carries the platinum, the beaded, the braided and the hair ties and headbands.