It all started in the summer of 2010. When two friends from Southern California Griffin Thall and Paul Goodman went on a college graduation trip to Costa Rica. Griffin and Paul fell in love with the stunning sunsets, killer surfing, cool beach towns and awesome people, and its laid-back lifestyle.
One day after they caught some waves, they came across two artisans named Jorge and Joaquin. Which they had the colorful string bracelets that captured the simple beauty of Costa Rica. Jorge and Joaquin were sadly struggling to survive on their artisan wages, like living with their family in a single room with three beds. Eventually Griffin and Paul asked the artist to make 400 bracelets to take home with them
So the fun began…
Griffin and Paul went back to San Diego and displayed the bracelets in a local boutique and instantly sold out in a few days. It hit them that these bracelets are more then just a simple friendship bracelet. There are a movement that is celebrating the simple things in life, or “Pura Vida,” as the Costa Ricans would call it. The saying is more about enjoying life’s little pleasures, slowing things down and living life to the fullest.
To spread the “Pura Vida” spirit around the world, Griffin and Paul teamed up with the artisans Jorge and Joaquin, to create handcrafted bracelets in endless color combinations for each unique person wearing a bracelet. It all started selling a few bracelets for a week and now has grown into a worldwide movement with millions of bracelets sold each year.
Pura Vida is always giving back and that’s why they created the Charity Collection. Over the past few years, Pura Vida has partnered with 200 charities around the world to donate $3.8 million to causes. Pura Vida is always striving to do more and they are constantly on the look out for more charities that can benefit from Pura Vida Bracelets.
I didn’t know the backstory of this business and I found it really interesting. I love how their mission is to give back and help people who are less fortunate. I think that using their experiences in Costa Rica to create these bracelets is very unique. The name Pura Vida also fits this company very well.
Wow, the backstory to these bracelets is so cool. I love how a small idea plus a simple bracelet plus a friendship turned into a successful business. That is the beauty of entrepreneurship. I also love how this displays redemptive entrepreneurship. Selling these bracelets brought a family out of poverty, they spread joy, and they tell the message that all of life even the little mundane should be enjoyed and cause us to be thankful.
This company and its story is inspiring. Mr. Thall and Goodman both took action that at the time was simply a kind gesture by buying a poor mans art. This gesture is the spark that turned into a well run business, but most importantly, that spark has lead Pura Vida to help millions of people and raises millions of dollars all over the globe
.
I actually own a few Pura Vida bracelets and I had no idea this is how the company got started! I think it is so cool that Griffin and Paul included the original creators, Jorge and Joaquin, in the process of building Pura Vida. The founders seem to have such a passion for helping people as they continue to help people through donations.