We believe that gone are the days of cutthroat capitalism. It's time for a new way to do business-not just for-profit but for-profit and people. Customers, suppliers, partners, vendors, neighbors and friends. We are all interconnected in how we live, purchase, be, and connect. We think we can DO GOOD and STRENGTHEN that entire network and hopefully make the world a little bit brighter through LUFT.
This is how we plan to do that:
DO GOOD
It feels good to do good. Like really, really good. So much so that we are going through the insanely time intensive and rigorous process to become, drumroll, B corp certified. What does this mean? It means that we are building the entire infrastructure of LUFT to live, breathe, and BE (see what we did there?) good. We are literally wrapping methods, responsibilities, and goals into our business DNA so that we have a clear, methodical focus to do good. It also keeps us extremely accountable so we don’t just talk, we walk the talk.
STRENGTHEN
You can’t be in business alone. It takes a village of suppliers, vendors, and partners. The way to strengthen that local community is to ensure 75% of our customers are local. And let's be honest; it's like 99%. We also commit 50% of our core expenses to local and independently-owned businesses.
Everyone is using the the phrase do good which is great! but we want you to know exactly how we are executing it at LUFT:
GIVING BACK
We believe that giving back strengthens your business while releasing endorphins producing a happier, healthier work climate and a more dedicated, committed LUFTER. We do this through dedicated give-back missions responding to the needs of the now. For example, we showered hospitals with 3,000 balloons to bring frontline workers a smile. We balloon bombed over 40 local businesses to celebrate surviving the pandemic. We developed a relationship with Lawrence Hall and are dedicated to bringing joy to the young boys there! Essentially, Luft has a commitment to give 5% of our employee time to do pro bono work (290+ hours per year) in give-back missions. This means we have LOTS of time to connect with our community and strengthen through doing good.
ART ACTIVISM
We feel that it is incumbent upon us to use our voice and platform to speak up about social issues. By printing activist sayings on balloons, we are using the balloon as a visual connector and a conversation starter. We’ve printed saying like BLACK LIVES MATTERS, VOTE, INCREASE THE PEACE and MENTAL HEALTH FOR ALL. And then we give them to you for free to hopefully spark a conversation.
About the creator & owner
Established in 2017 by Elaine Frei, LUFT BALLOONS is the result of a designer driven by creating immersive experiences through objects. Inspired by a party-scape she discovered in a magazine at the age of eight, Frei has dedicated herself to bringing people together in celebration. She firmly believes that our connections with the world around us hold little meaning unless we take the time to share them with one another.
With this philosophy in mind, Frei, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and an experienced landscape architect, graphic designer, and entrepreneur, established LUFT BALLOONS. Recognizing the power of balloons as a simple yet joyful decoration, she aims to infuse more simplicity, meaning and happiness into the world through her work.
LUFT is 100% female-owned and operated.