Introduction | Vision | Mission | Strategy | Artwork | Business Practices | Team
In 2008 accomplished technology entrepreneurs Eric Andrade and Colin Aikman partnered with leading jeweller Lisa Ridout to launch Aura Collective – Canada’s trusted seller of handmade fine craft and original art.
We offer free shipping within Canada, free returns within 14 days of purchase, and a donation is made from every purchase to the charity of our customer's choice. The shopping experience with Aura Collective is simple and hassle-free.
To be Canada’s trusted seller of fine craft and original art serving as the preferred partner for artists throughout their creative process, the faithful companion for clients on their stylistic journey and the generous sponsor for charities in pursuit of their altruistic goals.
To deliver fair shareholder value by providing artists with a valuable channel to market, enriching the lives of clients with Canadian, handmade, elegant pieces and in doing so, reliably supporting charities to attract increased financial contributions and do good work.
Aura Collective is a distinguished social enterprise that donates at least 15% of the retail price for every item sold to each client’s charity of choice. Aura Collective recognizes that clients define themselves by their distinctive tastes and love of handmade art and craft, but also by their preferred causes. For this reason, clients can nominate any of the 85,000+ Canada Revenue Agency-registered charities on the Aura Collective web site.
As a unique philanthropic business, Aura Collective is concerned with a range of causes that fall into broad categories such as culture, sport, education, faith, health and social services. The company focuses efforts in these areas by partnering with a select few outstanding charitable organizations like Habitat for Humanity (social services), Field Hockey Canada (sport) and Mount Sinai Hospital (health). To launch these targeted campaigns, Aura Collective has commissioned and now offers dedicated “Habitat”, “Stix” and “Sinai” Jewellery Collections donating 25% of the retail price for every item sold to these specified Partner Charities.
Given the company’s community-building model, Aura Collective enjoys a broad circle of support from gifted contributing artists to discerning customers and appreciative recipient charities. When these supporters advertise the company’s website, Aura Collective says thank you through the LinkUp Program by paying a 5% commission on every purchase that results from a direct referral.
While there are a handful of similar successful online retailers in the Unites States, Aura Collective is the first Canadian company dedicated to serving this market. Moreover, Aura Collective is the world’s only seller of fine craft and original art committed to donating between 15 – 25% of sales to client-selected charities.
Aura Collective believes that art is found in any piece created by inspired and skilled fine craft producers.
Aura Collective Artists work in various media such as precious and common metals, glass and ceramics, fibre and leather as well as wood and stone. These leading designers are chosen by the Aura Collective Arts Advisory Council based on a rigourous, peer-reviewed, technical and stylistic scoring process. On a rolling basis, the work of new artists is progressively presented to clients across categories that include jewellery, accessories, clothing, objects, furniture and homewares.
These are difficult times for many people, but artists and charities are always battling for recognition and income. Bringing fresh eyes to a mature sector, we saw an opportunity to offer Canadian artists a new channel to market through online sales. By selling online, we quickly identified room within the sector’s traditional profit margins to donate to deserving charities. It’s a rare situation where everyone wins – the artist, the charity and above all, the client.
We have heard loud and clear from the Aura Collective audience that people look for opportunities to do good deeds in their daily lives. In buying a gift someone else or treating oneself to outstanding handcrafted quality, clients can finally channel much needed funding to their worthwhile causes.
Why would you do it any other way?
Our Business Practices and Ethics
Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Aura Collective represents a new breed of business operating as a fine print free company. Accordingly, contributing artists, discerning clients and participating charities are all treated by the company in an open and consistent manner – the way every Aura Collective team member wishes to be treated.
Key to Aura Collective’s commercial success is the company’s exceptional product and service standards. Clients can expect items purchased from Aura Collective to represent inspired designs, a high quality of technique and leading craftsmanship. Purchasers will also appreciate that shipping is free for orders over CDN $100.00, and all returns are also free.
Finally, we believe Aura clients care about their impact on the planet, and it is important to do business with a company that shares these values. For example, Aura boxes are made of solid kraft paper with minimal printing and no metallic finish. In fact, Aura boxes are:
• Made with recycled material
• Recyclable
• Reusable
• Biodegradable
We also eliminate unnecessary shipping wherever possible, and the Aura Collective website is operated with 100% wind generated power. In summary, Aura Collective quietly embraces ethical business practices.
Eric Andrade, Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Eric Andrade leads the Aura Collective management team in defining and implementing the company’s artistic, commercial and philanthropic business plan. In 2007 Eric sold life science information management company Unleashed Informatics Limited to the world’s leading information services provider, Thomson Reuters. In 2004 he spun out Unleashed Informatics Limited from the Mount Sinai Hospital-hosted “Blueprint Initiative” public good research program. In 2001 Eric led the build out of Blueprint Initiative North American and Asian operations dedicated to assembling man’s biomolecular knowledge on an integrated platform. From 1995 – 2000 he held senior roles with Airways Corporation of New Zealand and served as a private consultant working to improve air traffic control services throughout Asia and Africa. Eric holds a Honours degree in Political Science from the University of Western Ontario and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Dalhousie University.
Colin Aikman, Founder and President
Colin Aikman is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Aura Collective Limited, ongoing development, and execution of the strategic and operational plans. Prior to Aura, Colin was Director of Operations for Thomson Reuters Limited – the world’s leading information services provider based in Toronto, Canada. From 2004-2007, as Chief Operations Officer of Unleashed Informatics Limited, Colin was a founding member of the executive team that successfully steered the company to acquisition by Thomson Reuters. From 1995-2004, Colin was Founder and Managing Director of Challenge Contracts Pty Ltd – a contract staffing agency in Brisbane, Australia. Colin holds a Bachelors degree in Economics from the University of Western Ontario together with a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Dalhousie University.
Lisa Ridout, Founder and Artistic Advisor
Lisa Ridout guides the Aura Collective management team in defining and implementing the company’s artistic vision and mission. Since 1992, Lisa has successfully steered her wholly owned, private Canadian company, Lisa Ridout Exclusive Jewellery, to be one of Canada’s most sought after production jewellers, whose line of precious metal handmade chain jewellery is represented in over 50 high end boutiques, galleries and fine jewellery stores across North America. Lisa is an honours graduate of George Brown College’s Jewellery Art and Design Diploma Program.
