DECE means "why" in Romanian — the question at the center of everything they make. Founded in 2009, DECE partners with the Roma community in Northwest Romania, where families have long been shut out of the formal economy and winters drop to -25°C without reliable heat. Rather than charity, DECE's answer to "why does poverty persist?" is employment: skilled work, fair wages, and a path forward built on three pillars — Education, Empowerment, and Employment.

What started as crocheted hats and scarves in 2009 grew into organic cotton accessories, leather goods, and — closest to our own hearts — upcycled truck tarps turned into bags and accessories. Every piece is handcrafted, Fair Trade Federation-verified, and World Fair Trade Organization-certified since 2017. They run on the same instinct we build Repurfect around: "discarded" is just a material waiting for its next job.

DECE is a new addition to our vendor lineup, and their story is a good match for ours — real materials, real hands, real second lives. Buying one of their pieces supports fair-wage work for families who've historically had few options. A gift that means something before you even wrap it.