Cada compra apoya a las mujeres artesanas. ¡Compre para marcar la diferencia!
Q1 2026 · Partner Brief · January – March
We have been building.Here is what happened.
Two storefronts. Seven group visits. Five new team members.
76+ people. Partnerships booked through 2028.
$30K+
Q1 revenue — 50% back
to artisan partners & wages
to artisan partners & wages
76+
Students & travelers
from 4 countries in 90 days
from 4 countries in 90 days
5+
New local hires + 50
providers across both stores
providers across both stores
Overview
Q1 at a Glance
| Impact | Q1 2026 (Jan – Mar) |
|---|---|
| Total sales from both shops | $30,000+ |
| Local artisans featured across both shops | 50+ |
| Total revenue back in the hands of local artisans | $15,000 |
| Wages given to Wearsos artisans | $10,000 |
| New team members hired | 5 |
Two dollars for a dollar
For every dollar Wearsos generates in sales, at least 50% flows directly back to the local community — either through product revenue shared with the artisans featured in our shops, or through wages paid to Wearsos artisans. This is by design, not coincidence.
Youth Education
Seven groups. Ninety days. One message: sustainability matters.
| Group | # | Experience | What it proved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discover Corps · Katie, Ontario | 1 | ★★★★★ | One traveler's pilot launched a partnership. We now have Discover Corps tourism groups confirmed up through 2028. |
| Beyond Sports × Franklin College | 7 | ★★★★★ | Hands-on, immersive learning that turned journalism students into storytellers — with Wearsos as their subject. |
| Where There Be Dragons × Cathedral | 19 | ★★★★★ | Students who make things with their hands and sleep in the communities they study don't just learn about impact — they become part of it. |
| Where There Be Dragons × Pomfret | 12 | ★★★★★ | Immersive learning beyond the classroom. Sustainability lived, not studied. |
| Abilene Christian University | 10 | ★★★★★ | Future business leaders who spent time inside a real social enterprise — and left with a different definition of success. |
| Nortico × Skrødstrup Efterskole | 25+ | ★★★★★ | Breaking borders and expanding our reach — proving that purpose-driven business speaks every language. |
| Helena Hoen · DC Australia | 2 | ★★★★★ | A new connection opened. The Oceania network is now part of our story. |
Team & Culture
Five artisans. One beach. A first for all of them.
A moment your partnership made possible.
Thanks to your support, we were able to provide our team with an experience that would otherwise not have been possible. For a group of women who give everything to this work — we wanted to give something back.
To mark the opening of our Flamingo storefront, Wearsos brought five of our Turrialba artisans — Caro, Ines, Tere, Tabata, and Fio — together for a team-building retreat at a beautiful property on the Pacific coast.
For all of them except Fio, this was their first time seeing the Guanacaste coast. For most, their first time leaving the Central Valley. Founder Lynne and intern Angela (University of Toronto) joined the retreat. Friends flew in from Canada to paint a mural and document the transformation.
"For most of us, it was our first time at the beach. To be there together — as a team — made it something none of us will forget."
— Caro, Workshop Production Manager
Opening weekend, Guanacaste · Dec 2025
Mural painting · Jan 2026 View on Instagram →
Partner Voice
A Traveler's Words
★ RATED 5 / 5
Katie — Cambridge, Ontario
Solo Traveler · Discover Corps Pilot Program · Q1 2026
"Each and every activity is memorable — my favourite.
Each activity is hands-on and interactive. It's not a tour where you download an app and just listen; you are immersed in the experience. Being able to talk to and learn from the ladies at Wearsos while you get to sew — then learning from the ladies in Mollejones how the entire project gets started — is inspiring.
Sitting around the table at Blanc y Negro changes your perspective. The knowledge you gain about the importance of women owning land, growing your own food, understanding how foods work together for your health and for the health of the land — it's unforgettable.
My organizer Lynne kept me up to date every day. She was available at a moment's notice, thorough in every detail — and if anything went wrong, she already had it figured out. I felt safe and fully prepared for every single day.
"At the end of this trip, you feel like family — and I know I am already missing my new Costa Rican family."
Discover Corps Partnership
Katie's solo visit was the pilot. After her 5/5 rating and glowing feedback, Discover Corps formalized the partnership — and groups are now confirmed through 2028. What started with one traveler is becoming a lasting program.
View Itinerary →Youth Education — Programs in Depth
Every Group. Every Story.
Beyond Sports Tours × Franklin College
7 journalism students · 21-day Costa Rica program · 6 days in Turrialba
Seven journalism students traveled the country documenting communities and stories. They spent six days in Turrialba, visited our Flamingo storefront, and customized their own bags — working directly alongside Lynne and Chris. The group produced a full video testimonial and five short-form reels that brought the Wearsos story to a new audience.
Where There Be Dragons × Cathedral
Long-term sustainability program · Turrialba & Mollejones
Students from Cathedral engaged directly with our upcycling lab and completed homestays in the Mollejones rural community — experiencing what it means to live and work inside a circular economy, not just study it from a distance.
Where There Be Dragons × Pomfret
12 students from Connecticut · Year-long sustainability program
Twelve students from Pomfret Private School, enrolled in a year-long sustainable development program, spent time in our upcycling lab and completed homestays in Mollejones. Their visit bridged the classroom and the community in a way that no lecture ever could.
Abilene Christian University (ACU)
10 business students · Long-standing Wearsos partner
ACU returned with ten business students for one of our most engaged visits to date — running case studies, strategy sessions, branding pitches, and pricing workshops directly with our team. These students didn't observe Wearsos. They worked inside it. ACU returned again in May 2026.
Nortico Travels × Skrødstrup Efterskole
25+ students from Denmark · Visiting via Nortico Travels
Twenty-five-plus students from Skrødstrup Efterskole in Denmark visited Wearsos in collaboration with Nortico Travels before beginning their homestays in Mollejones. Their itinerary connected both storefronts, giving a new international audience a window into what Repurpose with Purpose looks like in practice.
Academic Partnerships
Extending Impact Through Education
Wearsos continues to build long-term partnerships with universities and schools — creating placements where students contribute real work to our operations and sustainability strategy.
Trent University · Jorja Smith
4-month placement
Delivered two key research documents supporting our long-term sustainability strategy: a Comparative Analysis and an Environmental Research Report.
Eastwood Collegiate Institute · Olivia Smith
4-month placement · Design Program
Developed the new Wearsos brand book — a resource that shapes how we present ourselves to press, funders, and future academic partners. Olivia will now be pursuing the Design program at York University in Toronto.
These partnerships allow us to engage youth in hands-on, real-world learning — and to foster the next generation of leaders equipped to think critically about sustainability, community, and social entrepreneurship.
Looking Ahead
Q2 2026 & Beyond
ACU Returns — May 2026A second visit from Abilene Christian University. The academic partnership deepens.
Discover Corps — Through 2028Multiple groups confirmed. What Katie started has become a full program.
Drexel University — December 2026Confirmed. Major US research institution. A new academic network opens.
Ernst & Young (E&Y) — In DevelopmentCorporate engagement pathway forming. Potential gifting and team program.
Nia — Artist in Residence (with NEST)Expanding creative programming and artisan storytelling through a new residency model.
Vilma Line × Eucalan — Coming SoonNew product collaboration connecting our artisan community to an international brand.
Media & Resources
Watch. See. Explore.
Video Testimonial — Franklin College × Beyond Sports Tours
7 Journalism Students, 1 Film
Beyond Sports Tours partnered with Franklin College for a 21-day Costa Rica program. Six of those days were spent in Turrialba, documenting Wearsos. This is the result — a faculty-produced film capturing real-time bag customization, community connection, and the Wearsos story in motion.
Watch on YouTubeBehind the Process — 5 Instagram Reels
Franklin College bag customization, documented in real time.
Photo Albums
Want to say something to our team?
Have an idea on how we can grow? A thought after reading this? We would love to hear from you — directly.
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