PV Turns the Big 1-3: Who we Are + Where We’ve Been

This month marks 13 incredible years since Pura Vida was born on the beaches of Costa Rica by our two co-founders, Griffin and Paul. 🫶  

The story starts when the college friends celebrated their graduation with a surfing trip to the lush lands of the Central American country. That’s where they first met Jorge and Joaquin, two talented, struggling artisans creating colorful, hand-made bracelets to get by. Griffin and Paul were touched by the stories of the skillful pair and wanted to help. That’s when they asked Jorge and Joaquin to create 400 bracelets that they’d take back to San Diego with them, where they’d unknowingly launch the Pura Vida we know (and love) today. 🥰 

Since then, the company has built quite the legacy: we’ve donated nearly $4.3 million over the last 13 years to over 300 causes that are important to us and the people who support our brand. In the last year alone, we donated more than $770K and founded partnerships with four new charity organizations. With community and cause central to everything we do here at Pura Vida, we are continuously searching for more ways to make an impact and to put giving back at the heart of our mission.

As we look back on the journey so far, we can’t help but reflect on the piece that started it all: the String Bracelet. The String Bracelet is the OG cornerstone of the Pura Vida jewelry catalog and has continued to be a staple ever since our start in 2010. The durability and versatility of this piece withstands the tests of time and style, continuing to be a best-seller, year after year.  

Not only is the string bracelet fashionable enough to withstand time and trends *and* durable enough to withstand virtually any activity, but they’re also so comfortable that fans rarely take them off. The artisan-quality materials and flexible combination of strings, ties, and knots allows you to move freely without snagging or jutting. The way these pieces seamlessly adapt to your lifestyle is a major reason why they continue to be such a fan-fave. 

Since the dawn of the String Bracelet, Pura Vida has crafted and curated dozens of collections and hundreds of pieces, all while forging an even deeper purpose in charity and comradery. We can’t wait to see what we do next and the memories we’ll create with you all along the way. 💕 Don’t forget to celebrate the big day by shopping our newest charity collection created in partnership with The Birthday Party Project to help ensure children experiencing homelessness get to celebrate their birthday, too. 🎂