CircleBumpCheckedFilledMedicalBookmarkBookmarkTickBookmarkAddCheckBoxCheckBoxFilled

Carly Burson

Tribe Alive Founder
save article
profile picture of Anisa Arsenault
By Anisa Arsenault, Associate Editor
Updated March 2, 2017
Hero Image
Image: Courtesy of Tribe Alive

Being a trendsetter is something that comes naturally to Carly Burson, who was a visual merchandising manager at J.Crew. But developing an ethical fashion sense came from a healthy dose of wanderlust and many trips abroad. One trip in particular changed Burson’s life and career: Ethiopia, where she traveled to adopt her then 2-year-old daughter, Elie.

“After seeing the poverty my daughter came from, I knew that my corporate job wasn’t going to work long term,” Burson says. “I was working for an industry that was causing poverty everywhere, and I wanted to start my own brand.” So in 2014 Burson launched Tribe Alive as she continued working at J.Crew while building the company at night. “Once my husband and I could almost say on paper that we could live on his income, I left my job.”

Tribe Alive’s mission: to be a successful e-commerce marketplace that sells jewelry and accessories made by female artisans in impoverished areas around the world, providing these women with fair wages and safe, sustainable employment. And while Tribe Alive may not be able to eradicate poverty from the lives of these women, it is helping to break the cycle for the next generation.

“We’re not doing anything special—we’re doing what’s right,” says Burson. “We’re paying people fair wages so they can send their children to school. It’s a basic human right; I never have to think about not giving my child an education.”

Burson says that Elie, who’s starting kindergarten this fall, has been the catalyst in her life. And as far as she sees it, there’s no turning back now. “I can’t even imagine going back to what I was doing before,” Burson says. “I’ve never been so fulfilled.”

Related Video

Fashion forward
“Unlike most fair trade brands [that sell locally inspired designs], ours are based on current US trends. We’re working on modernizing the fair trade world. The tricky part is getting the artisans on board with our prints. We provide the designs, and our nonprofit partners work with the women to teach how to make them.”

Less is more
“I originally wanted to work with women everywhere. But it wasn’t a good approach; I became too disconnected. So I made a more focused commitment, deciding not to grow beyond artisan groups in four countries: Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti and India. I’m interested in impacting the lives of women we already work with. I’d rather sustain the work of these employees full time than employ thousands.”

Staying grounded
“My 2015 travel schedule was a disaster and took a toll on my family, so I’ve decided to limit myself to one trip every two or three months. But I love taking my daughter with me when I can. It doesn’t matter to her that our artisans are different or live in a shack with a dirt floor—she doesn’t see poverty. I want to continue exposing her to what I do.”

Family bonding
“It’s so amazing to look back and see Elie’s progression. Adoption is tough, and most parents can’t admit it without feeling guilty. But you have to allow yourself time for a bond to grow. You’re constantly questioning your love for this stranger. But once you get there, you know.”

save article
ADVERTISEMENT

Next on Your Reading List

mother kissing baby before leaving for work
These States Provide the Best Work-Life Balance
By Wyndi Kappes
woman working at desk
Study: Providing Parents With Support Makes Businesses More Profitable
By Wyndi Kappes
Victoria Monét and two-year-old daughter Hazel Monét Gaines celebrate their Grammy nominations by indulging in Jimmy John’s Red Velvet Cookies while preparing for the awards show on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California
Victoria Monét and Daughter—The Grammy’s Youngest Nominee—Make History
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
mom sitting at table at home thinking and pondering
I Was an Accidental SAHM—and I’m Done Feeling Guilty About It
By Kristen Bringe
allison holker and family
Allison Holker Boss on Dancing, Resilience and Finding Her New Normal
By Nehal Aggarwal
Kristin Davis at the New York Pemiere of "And Just Like That..." A New Chapter of Sex and The City held at MoMA on December 8, 2021 in New York City
Why Moms Are Loving Charlotte's ‘and Just Like That’ Monologue
By Wyndi Kappes
78 Percent of Moms Are Overwhelmed by Pumping at Work
78 Percent of Moms Are Overwhelmed by Pumping at Work
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
mother holding sleeping baby at home
Caregiving Reduces Mom's Lifetime Earnings by 15 Percent, Report Says
By Wyndi Kappes
mother working on laptop while holding baby
These Are the Best States for Working Moms in 2023
By Wyndi Kappes
working mother sitting at home with baby and breast pump
What the PUMP Act Means for Working Parents
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hugs his daughter Poppy on the ninth hole during the Par 3 Contest prior to the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 5, 2023, in Augusta, Georgia
Kids Take the Masters by Storm Dressed as Adorable Caddies
By Wyndi Kappes
mother wearing baby in wrap while working on laptop at home
Study: Parents Work Longer Hours Than Non-Parents Amid Recession Fears
By Wyndi Kappes
P!nk attends the 2022 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 20, 2022 in Los Angeles, California
Balancing Acts: Pink Shares Her Journey as a Rockstar Mom
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
Sanya Richards Ross and family
Olympian Sanya Richards-Ross on Motherhood and Finding Balance
By Nehal Aggarwal
Reps. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., Andy Kim, D-N.J., left, and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., conduct a news conference to announce the Congressional Dads Caucus outside the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, January 26, 2023
Congress’ New Dads Caucus Advocates for Working Parents
By Wyndi Kappes
Shonda Rhimes attends the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 09, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California.
Shonda Rhimes Shares the Secret Behind How She Does It All
By Wyndi Kappes
MommiNation founders talking at fundraiser event
How MommiNation Is Helping to Empower a Community of Black Moms
By Jen Hayes Lee
ADVERTISEMENT
Rihanna is seen outside the Dior show, during Paris Fashion Week - Womenswear F/W 2022-2023, on March 01, 2022 in Paris, France
Rihanna Says Being a Mom Pushed Her to Perform at the Super Bowl
By Wyndi Kappes
mother working from home with baby on lap
New Report Explores if Remote Work Is Really Working for Parents
By Wyndi Kappes
wood desk at the texas state capitol
Moms Are Largely Missing From the Law-Making Arena, New Report Reveals
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
Article removed.
Article removed.
Name added. View Your List