One day this summer, I was just scrolling through Facebook when I stumbled upon a photo of a stack of cute and colorful bracelets. Immediately I clicked to see where they were from. They were products from a company called Pura Vida bracelets. As I visited their Facebook page and their website, too, I learned they are handmade by artisans in Costa Rica. The sale of these bracelets provides a full-time job for 85 Costa Rican artisans. The company is called "Pura Vida" because it describes the way of life in Costa Rica. Not only does it mean "pure life" in English, but is also a symbol of living slowly, never taking life for granted, and enjoying the little things. Because I loved what the bracelets stood for, thought they were super cute, and knew they supported a great cause, I decided to order one and give it a try. Now a month later, I am so happy with it and just placed an order for three more!
Here are the best things about the bracelets:
They come in every color.
Blue? Yep, many different shades. Pink? Absolutely! Gray? You bet. Neons? Sure. Chartreuse? Probably. The original bracelets come in both solid colors and also two, three or four colors mixed together.
There are different styles.
In addition to the original bracelets, there are many different collections as well. These include braided, platinum beads, cuffs, seed beads, hammered metal and charms. You can add these to a stack of original bracelets to make your wrist more glam or mix and match.
You can find a bracelet for everybody.
There is a men's collection, an anklet collection and even a baby bracelet collection! Who said bracelets were just for the ladies?
They come at a great price.
The original collection bracelets are priced at only $5! The other fun collections range from $12 to $44. Many go on sale as well. There are also style packs available that stack matching bracelets from the different collections. Best of all, the profit goes right back to the Costa Rican artisans!
Each one is waterproof.
You don't even have to worry about it while showering or swimming.
You can support your favorite cause.
The charity collection includes the original bracelets intertwined with several colors supporting your favorite cause. There are bracelets for animal awareness, cancer awareness, environmental causes, memorial causes and so many more! Some of the most popular charity bracelets support 1 percent for the Planet, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation, and Boarding for Breast Cancer.
Here are the best things about the company:
Shipping in the U.S. is always FREE!
Yes, you read that right, free! Whether you're getting one bracelet or 10.
You can earn Pura Vida points.
For every $1 you spend, you get 10 points. These are redeemable for money off future purchases.
They are super fun and interact on social media.
They post lots of cool photos and sale alerts on their Facebook page as well as on Instagram. If you post a picture with your Pura Vida bracelet or stack and use #puravidabracelets, they may share your photo as the photo of the day. You could even win a free bracelet! Their feed is also full of beach scenes, beautiful sunsets and sweet adventures. I definitely pretend I'm there!
They give back to charities and the Costa Rican artisans.
For every bracelet in the charity collection (there are 222 total!), Pura Vida gives a portion back to the charity the bracelet supports. For example, for every $5 National Fallen Firefighters bracelet bought, this company will give $1 to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. So far they've donated more than half a million dollars to different charities! What other accessory can you wear in support and feel good knowing you've donated to a good cause?
As you can see, I have fallen in love with Pura Vida bracelets and their company. I have no doubt they will continue to grow and give back to both Costa Ricans and numerous partnering charities. Visit their website to learn about their story, browse their products, buy a bracelet and become a part of the Pura Vida family.
¡PURA VIDA!