POKOLOKO

In 2014, founders Case Bakker and Jessie Lyon met and began selling Ecuadorian alpaca blankets out of the back of Case's car. At the time they didn't realize that they were laying down buiding blocks that would later become a full time job for both them and six others, but as time passed, they were increasingly inspired by the organization being created from their efforts, and the potential impact it could have for communities locally and globally. With the help of a notable collection of loyal and hardworking friends and family, Case and Jessie remain partners with big dreams surrounded by a team they couldn't do it without.

Pokoloko comes from the Spanish phrase "poco loco" meaning "a little bit crazy." This is what our Ecuadorian artisan partners used to call Case at the very beginning of their relationship, and when Pokoloko was just Case and Jessie working out of the back of Case's car, indeed it did sometimes seem a little bit of a crazy thing to do. As our organization evolved, the central meaning of this phrase has stuck with us and reminds us every day to think outside the box, trust your gut, do what you love, and never stop adventuring.