It seems improbable that an apron could impact the community, but I think it already has and I think it can do even more. While these aprons are made to improve the quality of life for people in the restaurant industry, there's an even bigger initiative we're trying to fund. I'm an apron maker apparently. The creativity and problem solving I think came early at the age of probably three or four, I started sewing. If I didn't like something that I had, I would take it apart and use that as a pattern to make something new. I took a lot of what I was learning along the way, and I apply that into what we do now for Craftmade. If I want to put something out there, I want to know that it's going to hold up. Project Black and Blue started with the knowing of the needs that there are out there. As I personally watched my son when he was diagnosed with melanoma and not having insurance and not having that sort of funds to pay for those things. As I was doing this job and learning more about industry professionals that needed mental health support or needed help to gain sobriety or things that were just really missing, we knew that we needed to give back to, and it was important piece that their wellbeing is looked after, and I wanted to try to do my best to make sure that that was a piece of what we did. Project Black and Blue is a space for industry members that frankly don't have a space to be heard or feel safe. Our goal is to frankly give 'em resources and direction and path outside of the traditional methods. Being a chef, it's the way that I communicate with the world. It's the language that I can provide something that comes from me, from my heart, how I grew up, and my traditions showing me in a plate. I am Nettie Colón chef owner, red Hand, gastro Lab. This industry is take, take, take, take, take when you're on the line working 12, 13, 14 hours a day and you have that apron that is just hanging around your neck. It's a little symbolic of what you're doing, so these aprons hang around your shoulder and just comfort you wrapping around the back. So it's like a hug. It's made for what we do, how long we do it, but also too is a little bit of Kate in each apron, so you feel like you have her with you whenever you wear these aprons. She shows up for us for the restaurant community. Our new brand is called Right Behind. That came really as something that you hear in the kitchen. We're right behind you. Craftmade is more of a service apron or fancy apron that people like to show off, but there was an ask for us to make something that's crossed back that they could wear During prep, we saw a need for a second design, a Prep Apron to add into the mix. The right behind brand is an opportunity to produce these aprons at a higher volume. We want this to become the biggest money generator for the initiative and have it build up the project Black and Blue fund. The communities take pride in supporting it. So really we have these great opportunities to take care of people. We make aprons is like secondary, enriching our community is actually what we're trying to accomplish here. And the apron is a vehicle. Project Black and Blue doesn't belong to craft made. It belongs to this industry and they take so much heart and pride in that. There's front of the house and there's back of the house, but then there's the whole house, black and blue and Craftmade Aprons is about the whole house from the front door to the back door. No one gets left behind.
