Noonday Collection: How Ethical Fashion Creates Ripples of Hope

Every brand has a story, but some stories begin with a mission far bigger than fashion. Noonday Collection started not as a business plan, but as a response to a moment of need, woven together by hope, human connection, and the belief that dignified work can change lives. In this Q&A, the Noonday team opens up about their purpose, their impact, and the values that still guide every product they create.

AGM: What inspired the creation of Noonday?

Noonday: Noonday was born from a deeply personal journey. Jessica and her husband Joe were in the process of adopting their son Jack from Uganda when they faced a financial crisis during the 2008 housing market crash. Their house-flipping business struggled, and they needed funds for the adoption. During a visit to Uganda, Jessica met artisan women creating beautiful handmade goods but lacking consistent buyers. She held her first “trunk show” to raise adoption funds by selling these artisan-made products—and it worked. Before she knew it, she had friends and family lining up to share the jewelry with their community. 

The name “Noonday” comes from Isaiah 58:10: “If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.” On the day Jessica was deciding on a business name, a friend she hadn’t spoken to in some time emailed her—with that exact same verse. 

It was the confirmation she needed to jump in and Noonday was born!

AGM: If you could share one story that best reflects Noonday’s impact, what would it be?

Noonday: Tushabe’s story is a shining example of how Noonday’s ripple effect can change lives. Prossy, a Rwandan refugee in Uganda, was facing tough challenges—caring for her daughter, Tushabe, who was struggling with her health, while navigating an abusive relationship. Because of stigma, Prossy had been afraid to share Tushabe’s HIV status.

That’s when Jalia, one of Noonday’s amazing artisan partners, stepped in. With kindness, knowledge, and encouragement, she helped Prossy access the right medications and dismantled the fear around HIV in their community. In just a few weeks, Tushabe’s health improved—and along with it, her dreams grew. She told her mom she wanted to become a doctor!

But dreams need opportunity. Prossy couldn’t afford the specialized education Tushabe needed. Through Noonday’s Sunrise Scholarship program, Jalia helped make it possible. Tushabe became the first high school graduate in the program and is now attending a boarding school dedicated to fighting HIV-related stigma, bringing hope and knowledge to others.

This story reminds us that dignified work does more than provide income—it creates the foundation for people to thrive, dream big, and break cycles of stigma. A single ripple can truly turn into a wave of transformation.

AGM: How do you choose which artisan communities or partners to collaborate with? (What values or criteria are most important in those decisions?)

Noonday: Noonday prioritizes relationships and long-term partnerships over transactional business arrangements. The key values include:

• Fair trade principles: Partners must prioritize fair wages, safe working conditions, and ethical practices.

• Child protection: Partners must ensure products are ethically made and free from child labor, prioritizing children’s rights.
• Women empowerment: 75% of Noonday’s artisan partners are women, as investing in women creates ripple effects throughout entire communities.
• Collaborative spirit: Partners are viewed as “Artisan Entrepreneurs” who co-create rather than simply produce.

Long-term commitment: Noonday seeks relationships that can grow over years, not one-off transactions—as evidenced by their 15-year partnership with their Rwandan sewing group. Noonday has now placed 40M of purchased orders directly to Artisans.

AGM: How do you ensure artisans are treated and compensated fairly throughout the process?

Noonday: Noonday operates fundamentally differently from conventional retailers:

Additionally, Noonday is a Certified B Corporation, meeting rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. They operate with a “stakeholder model” where everyone involved—artisans, retail partners, home office staff, and customers—can flourish together, rather than only prioritizing shareholders.

AGM: How do you balance sustainability, ethical production, and quality while growing to meet demand? 

Noonday: This has been one of Noonday’s greatest challenges. During a period of rapid growth, Noonday faced an inventory crisis when demand didn’t match supply projections. Rather than immediately cutting orders—which would have devastated their artisan partners— they continued placing orders using an extended line of credit, even when they had excess inventory. This decision reflected their core value: “your fates are all tied together, so no decision can be made in a vacuum.” 

AGM: How has the Sunrise and Sunshine Scholarship program made a difference, and can you share a story of its impact? 

Noonday: The scholarship program embodies Noonday’s belief that children should be cherished. Tushabe’s story is the flagship example—she became the first high school graduate through the program after receiving support to attend a specialized boarding school in Uganda. 

The program was created after Noonday recognized that even with fair wages, artisans’ children often still struggled to access quality education. The scholarships go beyond financial support—they address holistic needs, breaking cycles of stigma and creating pathways to futures these children might never have imagined. The program reflects Noonday’s commitment to multi-generational impact, not just immediate economic relief.

AGM: In what ways do you include artisan voices in the design process, not just as producers, but as creative collaborators? 

Noonday: Noonday refers to their partners as “Artisan Entrepreneurs” intentionally—they’re not just producers, but co-creators. The relationship involves: 

AGM: What training or resources do you provide to help retailers share your products and mission effectively? 

Noonday: Our wholesale training and selling support program has been thoughtfully designed to make it simple and seamless for retailers to share the Noonday story and mission with customers. We know Noonday is just one of many brands in a shop, so our approach ensures staff can highlight our impact without added pressure, while still bringing our important mission to life. Below are several things we provide and do to ensure this process is easy! 

AGM: Could you share an example of feedback from artisans or customers that led to a change or innovation at Noonday? 

Noonday: We live and breathe by feedback at Noonday! One situation comes to mind from many years ago when we experienced an excess of inventory and needed to scale back orders, Jalia (our Ugandan partner) independently shared her concerns with the community, leading to questions throughout their network. Rather than defensive posturing, this feedback led to: 

• Enhanced communication protocols: Recognizing the need to proactively communicate with all stakeholders during challenges. 
• Meaningful dialogue practices: Learning to listen deeply, make generous assumptions, and create safety in difficult conversations. 
• Refined growth strategies: Being more careful about managing supply and demand while honoring long-term partnerships.

The breakthrough came through vulnerability—the Noonday leadership team held transparent conversations with their community, openly sharing their mistakes and inviting everyone to move forward together. This transparency strengthened rather than weakened relationships. 

Additionally, feedback from artisan partners requesting support beyond wages led to the creation of the Flourishing World Initiative—a corporate community-support program addressing needs like healthcare emergencies, education, and other holistic support. Through that program we have now invested 1.5M dollars above and beyond what we already do.

AGM: Looking ahead, how does Noonday hope to expand its impact through new markets, products, or community initiatives? 

Noonday: Noonday is in an exciting transformation, pivoting to an omnichannel strategy that will multiply our impact: 

The ultimate vision remains unchanged: A flourishing world where women are empowered, children are cherished, people have dignified jobs, and we are all connected. What’s changing is how we get there—through boutique partnerships, direct customer relationships, and transformational travel experiences that make the handmade, the authentic, and the deeply human more accessible than ever. In a world increasingly dominated by AI and mass production, Noonday’s artisan-made goods offer something irreplaceable: real human connection, authentic craftsmanship, and stories that matter.

Conclusion

At its core, Noonday is more than an accessories brand; it is a bridge between makers and marketplaces, between craftsmanship and community, between meaningful stories and meaningful purchases. For AGM members, this is a powerful reminder that what we choose to carry in our shops can do more than generate sales. They can uplift people, spark hope, and create meaningful change.

AGM members are encouraged to learn more about Noonday Collection by visiting their website at https://noondaycollection.com/ or contacting Courtney Reimer at wholesale@noondaycollection.com. For more contact information, check out our AGM vendor page.

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