Inspired by the people, culture, and beauty of Guatemala, Amado Collection was founded by April Spence in 2019. She wanted to select a Spanish name that captured her vision for the company, so she selected Amado, which means beloved, and four years later, it is safe to say that the name was pre-destined, encompassing both her passion to help others and the incredible response from the public.
From the beginning, the mission of Amado was to support local artisans and create opportunities for dignified work. But it didn’t stop there. Having adopted a child from Guatemala, orphan care was also extremely close to April’s heart, so she pledged to give a portion of the company’s proceeds to adoption grants and orphan care so that even more people in vulnerable situations could feel seen and beloved. We are proud to say that in April’s three years of ownership, over $75,000 was donated towards orphan care and orphan preventions in Guatemala.
April and her family lived in Guatemala for four years, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, they moved back to the United States. Even after the move, Amado continued to thrive, but it became clear that the close working relationships that April had built with her team were vital to the company’s success, and the distance made it difficult to maintain.
April wanted Amado to live on, especially given the harsh toll that the pandemic took on the artisans and the local economy. Ali New is a close friend of April’s family, and she was familiar with both the business and April’s heart behind supporting the Guatemalan people. Ali, who has lived in Guatemala with her family for four years, took over the Amado Collection in 2022.
The collection of products has since been expanded, and we now work with a variety of artisans from all around Guatemala. Though ownership has changed, Amado continues to focus on paying fair wages, sourcing high-quality materials to create products that are ethically and sustainably made, and donating a portion of the profits to create opportunities for more entrepreneurs here in Guatemala. We are sincerely grateful for every purchase that has been made. Each of our customers has helped create a tangible change in countless lives in the Guatemala community.
