Spend just a few minutes with Caro Arcila and you’ll quickly learn her passion for others is palpable.
As the founder of Treeline Collective, a brand that partners with Squamish and worldwide artisans with an eye toward sustainable and ethically-made products, Arcila opened a storefront on Cleveland Avenue in downtown Squamish in mid-February. While the website for Treeline products is still available, opening a storefront was always a goal for Arcila.
“I've wanted to have a storefront for so long,” she said. “Unfortunately, the pandemic put a bit of a hold on that.”
Her passion for collaboration is driven by her life experiences as a Colombian refugee. At the age of 17, Arcila came to Canada with her parents.
She was the only English-speaking member of her family.
This led her to a whole career helping protect children’s rights as she travelled around the globe.
This era was about the time she started dreaming of Treeline Collective, she said, as she met a number of artists from various places who were creating wonderful products but were unable to get them into international markets.
Fast-forward to moving to Squamish, and Arcila has been growing the brand since.
Now that the storefront is open, she hopes it will provide new opportunities for some of her collaborations with international artisans.
“We have a line of jewelry that works with single moms from low-income communities and provides them the opportunity to work from home so that they can be with their kids [and] take care of their kids, but at the same time make a livable income,” she said.
And jewelry is just one of the products that you can find at the new shop. There are DIY candles, a vast array of artwork, colourful blankets, coffee and teas, bathing suits and so much more.
Championing others in business may seem unorthodox, but Arcila thinks business could use some disruption.
“Even in business, everything's better if you find a way to support each other,” she said.
What’s more, Arcila assures customers can walk away knowing their money is not only going to good people but also going to good causes. For example, Treeline Collective is a dedicated member of 1% for the Planet, a network of global businesses that donate at least 1% of sales to environmental organizations.
“When you come here you know that what you're buying is done wholesomely,” she said. “Anything that you buy here goes back to supporting environmental conservation organizations around the world.”
Arcila aims to have items with price points for every budget in the store but also acknowledges that some things are expensive.
To her, however, ensuring fair wages, using quality and sustainable materials, plus donating back to the environment is worthy of some higher prices.
She said equally important was “educating consumers about the real cost of things and the impact that it has on other people.”
But certainly, opening the storefront wasn’t easy, as Arcila recalled almost closing the whole endeavour when she and her partner suffered a miscarriage in December.
When asked if she felt comfortable sharing that information publicly, she said it is an important part of life to talk about, and she hopes that as she does, other women will feel comfortable sharing their experiences too.
This is just another example of Arcila role-modelling her beliefs alongside her business.
“When I was a kid, I didn't have a person like me. I didn't have someone to look up to and be like, ‘She did it.’ … She's a refugee, she's a Latina,” Arcila said. “So, if I could be that person and someone in my shoes … can see that and be like, ‘If she can do it, so can I.’”
To learn more, stop by Treeline Collective on Cleveland Avenue, which is open every day except Tuesdays, or visit treelinecollective.com.
'Squamish business beat' is a new series that arose from feedback from locals who wanted to see more business-related news. With this beat, we cover brand-new, independent business openings and closings, among other business-related topics, as our time and resources allow. To be considered for this series, please email [email protected].
