Gift Focus inc Attire Accessories - May/June 2020

28 Positive vibes only Refocus Bands’ core philosophy is on sharing positive vibes and energy – and in the current world of uncertainty, the products have never been more timely When did you start up Refocus Bands and why? Back in 2001, it was common for Deanna Saracino to “borrow” the elastic rubber bands from the asparagus at the grocery store where she lives in the USA. She would write messages on them for her soccer teammates and gift them as a way to bring her team together. Some 13 years later she fine-tuned the idea and Refocus Bands ® was born! Deanna wanted to create things that made people look good when putting it on, feel good when wearing it and be able to do good when buying it. Surprisingly to her, the rubber bands really resonated with everyone who wore them, from marathon runners, sportsmen/ women and to those who needed a few words of encouragement! After huge success in the USA, Hacche Retail has become the sole UK & Ireland distributor of Refocus Bands and launched to the retail trade in March 2020. How has the company developed over the years? Speaking to Deanna, she explained that it’s been a rewarding journey building the company and slowly and gaining traction. Refocus Bands expanded and developed over time, focusing on branding, mission and community with the goal of offering quality inspirational products. What challenges have you overcome? We face many challenges every day; from learning to scale to figuring out how to develop new products. One of the biggest challenges for us has been transitioning into the wholesale market. Learning the ins-and-outs and how to manage it all on top of ecommerce was a big learning curve. The current obstacle we face now is the same as the world faces with the COVID-19 pandemic; how we navigate with our customers and manufacturers. Tell us about your product offering. We offer over 50 unique styles of Refocus Bands in the UK, each revealing a positive hidden message to help refocus your