Introducing ABLE: Fashion That Empowers

Do your clothes empower you? It may sound cliche, but ABLE actually puts their money where their ethical fashion is. ABLE creates beautiful leather goods, clothing, and accessories that are classic and on-trend. The company also focuses on ending generational poverty through the empowerment of women.

Through its business strategy, ABLE gives marginalized women the opportunity to learn new skills. These women have overcome extraordinary challenges, such as poverty, homelessness, prostitution, and addiction. ABLE provides the women with a safe work environment so they can look to the future with hope and confidence.

ABLE sought out an in-depth evaluation of its impact through its ACCOUNTABLE project. Through an audit of its employment practices, ABLE and its manufacturers improved work conditions. Manufacturers installed better ventilation, implemented dress codes to improve safety, and increased wages to pay all employees a living wage.

ABLE publishes the results of the audit in a yearly ACCOUNTABLE project report. The report contains all its employees’ wages, an analysis of the company’s strengths and weaknesses, and any corrective actions the company should take. The fashion industry employs the most women globally, yet less than 2% receive a living wage. By publishing its wages, ABLE intends to give consumers a choice when shopping. ABLE also hopes to encourage a radical shift in the fashion industry.

Based in Nashville, Tennessee, ABLE was founded in 2010 and employs women in Ethiopia, Mexico, and Peru who create ethical fashion, leather goods, jewelry, footwear, and more.