No matter where you stand on politics, we can pretty much all agree on one thing: gun violence is a problem in this country. There are too many illegal firearms landing in the hands of the wrong people, those who don’t know how to use them or have violent intentions. Unfortunately, it’s one sad story after the next. But instead of feeling helpless, there are ways to change the situation, and Liberty United is here to help.
Peter Thum, creator of Ethos Water, founded a company called Fonderie 47 in 2009 after seeing how many children were armed with assault rifles while working in Africa. They went on to destroy more than 34,000 by turning them into jewelry. Three years later, Peter’s wife Cara Buono urged him to expand his mission to address gun violence in America. And so, Liberty United launched in spring 2013.
The brand’s mission is actually quite simple: gun violence is rampant in the United States, but it doesn’t have to be. They believe courage and common sense can change the world, which is 100% true when you think about it. Every piece of jewelry they make bears the number of an illegal gun or bullet removed from circulation and transformed into something beautiful. And Liberty United is made in America, creating more jobs and less violence close to home.
If their mission wasn’t rad enough, they have some very talented artists on board designing lines. A collection from Pamela Love is to be released this fall. The Spike Collection from Giles & Brother by Philip Crangi, available now, was inspired by the golden spike used to join the first continental railroad in 1869.
“Without the railroad, we couldn’t be this country today,” Philip Crangi said. “I think we’re really lucky to be born Americans. Politically, I think we really see each other on opposite ends, and it’s easy to define ourselves by who we’re not. But ultimately, we are all in this together. The railroad spike is a really important symbol of that idea, of unity.”
Not only does Liberty United have good intentions, it looks badass. The Spikes are equal parts manly and cool, and 25% of proceeds from the collection go to fund programs that strive to reduce gun violence in the United States. Now that’s something we can all get behind.
To learn more and shop, visit libertyunited.com.
