Alex and Ani Inc.’s eco-friendly bangle bracelets dangle from wrists all over Rhode Island, and the unique line of jewelry with a message has caught the attention of consumers around the world.
Being part of a growing startup company with a popular brand is something Alex and Ani employees are proud of and excited about. They have the opportunity to share ideas that will help shape the company.
“Our designers and other career employees know that what they are doing is helping this business get to a certain point,” said Alex and Ani CEO Giovanni Feroce. “Significant achievements are being made, and people are building their resumes here.”
Alex and Ani incorporated in 2004, when second-generation Rhode Island jewelry manufacturer Carolyn Rafaelian officially turned her hobby into a business. She uses recycled metals in the creation of her bracelets, earrings, necklaces and rings, which are all manufactured in Cranston.
Many of Alex and Ani’s employees make the business their career, and they are encouraged to develop skills through seminars and schooling.
Because Alex and Ani’s aesthetic promotes community consciousness and unity, the company and its employees work closely with many charities through the Charity by Design program. For example, Alex and Ani dedicated its Tree of Life signature Expandable Wire Bangle to the African Rainforest Conservancy, and the company donates 10 percent of each sale to that cause.
Employees are also in the unique position of working for a company dedicated to remaining an American brand, giving them job security many manufacturing employees don’t have.
“We are building our brand in a way that it can only be successful if it’s built in the United States,” Feroce said. •
