Article22 is a collection of exquisite handcrafted jewelry with an incredible mission. Founder Elizabeth Suda graciously shared with us the story behind the beautiful baubles. (Want to find the line locally? Visit Max’s in St. Louis Park.)
Where does the name Article22 come from?
Our name is guided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that states everyone’s right to social, economic and cultural security as well as free development of personality.
After two years in the merchandising department with Coach, what drew you to pack your bags and travel to Laos?
As a merchandising assistant at Coach, I worked closely with the product at all points along the supply chain, from design to production to distribution. Seeing Mandarin scribbled in the margins of product tags, I started thinking about how and by whom the goods we consume are made.
In 2008, I resigned and moved to Laos to learn about the living culture of natural dyeing and hand-loom weaving. I worked with a local, women-led textile business and the Swiss nonprofit Helvetas. It was my mission to research the textile value chain in four rural villages.
In one village, I saw artisans making spoons — the same spoon that serves Laotians their daily noodle soup. The same spoon that Anthony Bourdain used to eat noodle soup in his Laos episode of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.
Then, I was led to a pile of scrap metal containing shrapnel that read “Rocket Mortar.” These were U.S. bombs dropped during the Secret War, which left Laos the most heavily bombed country in history per capita. Eighty million failed to detonate on impact.
I was inspired by the artisans’ own initiative and constructive approach and thought, We must make a bracelet and literally buy back the bombs. It took one year to make the first prototype. Finally, we launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for a short documentary that would bring the story full circle. In a few weeks, Buying Back the Bombs went viral globally with a positive message of transformation. I took this as a sign and started looking for a partner, which I found in Camille Hautefort. Today, Article22 is a collaborative work with a humanitarian mission at its core and design as its powerful medium.
What inspired you to create the Peacebomb collection?
Peacebomb, our first collection, is jewelry transformed from Vietnam War bombs and scrap metal by artisans in Laos. The collection helps demine unexploded bombs to make their land safe. This is not just a story of war to peace. This is not just an American story. Peacebomb is the story of transformation from bad to beautiful that each person identifies within his own existence.
What are some of your favorite pieces from the Peacebomb collection?
The arrow collection, the arrow bangle and the arrow tag wrap. The arrow is a universal symbol of transformation of negative into positive. It’s a perfect representation of our mission and the message we want to share. We are powerful and can turn negative things into positive.
