Sarah Butala dreamt up Strey Designs on her way back from a trip to Uruguay where she taught over 300 students in the rural areas near Montevideo puppet-making and story-telling amongst other things. With a shoestring budget of $200, a small scholarship from Partners of the Americas for airfare and a lot of help from a loving community in Montevideo, Uruguay she was able to do a lot. Sarah has a degree in art, a passion to serve her community and an intense calling to use her skills in art as a vehicle for social change.

While flying back home over the South American landscape Strey was born!

Sarah’s Idea

“What if I created a company that simultaneously:

• employed local artists

• manufactured quality hand-bags, curbing the footprint of synthetic bags made in sweatshops overseas

• market a “positive self image” fashion brand that is devoted to slow fashion

• and use it as a platform to fund philanthropic projects in our neighborhood and abroad!”