Frustrated after her children kept losing their change purses and wallets, mom and architect Tamara Jones searched for a means to connect them with their essentials.

Tamara knew there had to be a better solution than the traditional way of pinning items to her little ones’ clothes. Fanny packs seemed too awkward for children. What Tamara envisioned was a small necklace with a pouch. Something that her children could wear to hold some emergency contact information, a little bit of money and whatever small tokens they deemed essential for the day.

Finding nothing commercially available, she and her daughter began making the neck pouches that evolved into Keepers. They quickly became popular with the school children, and as demand spread to teachers and parents, it became necessary to explore modes beyond home production.

Finding few local outfits willing to do small runs of sewn accessories, Tamara was advised that to be competitive, she needed to offshore the manufacturing. As both a mom who strives to leave a better planet for her children and as a volunteer with RRISA, non-profit agency that provides an entry into the American culture for refugees, Tamara wanted try to make Keepers in the USA. Particularly in the current economy, with so many able and willing people in the Atlanta community needing employment, she saw local production as a way to reduce the environmental impact of transporting products from oversees while providing meaningful employment to RRISA clients. Many of the refugee women have sewing skills when they arrive in the US, but have difficulty getting jobs initially.

Tamara pitched the idea of a contract sewing service to RRISA, and Threads of Promise was born.  Recent arrivals are afforded the opportunity to earn a fair wage while receiving language, business, and cultural instruction.

As an architect and city planner, Tamara is passionate about sustainable projects. Whenever possible, Tamara sources materials that would otherwise wind up in a landfill. Items like “memos”, the fabric samples sent to designers and furniture stores each year only to be replaced the next year with newer designs, earn a second life as a Keepers. If you get tired of your Keeper, send it back and Keepers will compost or recycle its parts.