MudLOVE

A HUGE thank you to our community for making 15 years possible for us. It's been a wonderful journey and a pleasure to serve everyone. Place any size order online today and get a free MudLOVE magnet as a token of our appreciation.

Happy Mrs. Brown Day! MudLOVE's founder, Luke, created a bracelet named Viona in honor of his late art teacher, Mrs. Viona Brown. This bracelet would play a significant role in our company's future. In fact, we now celebrate "Mrs. Brown Day,” on her birthday, to commemorate her lasting impact on our journey. We launched the Maker's Kits because sales and attention were cooling off after our appearance on The Bachelor. This wasn't a simple product; it was incredibly complex. We wanted to go bigger with a hands-on product that celebrated the joy of creating.

The development process was challenging. It involved our first attempt at 3D modeling and printing. We even outsourced production of our Viona bracelet to Haitian refugees in the Dominican Republic who had no formal education. It was no small feat.

This product became the catalyst that led us to where we are now. It represented a massive pivot that we thought we understood, but in reality, we had no idea of its far-reaching implications. The Maker's Kits became a gateway to launching our Viona bracelet, Friendship Bracelets, implementing 3D modeling to create almost all of our tools, and building a whole team of skilled artisans in the Dominican Republic.

Although the Maker's Kits themselves didn't survive in the long run, their impact was immeasurable. They opened doors to new opportunities and innovations, and that is the lasting legacy this product leaves today. The spirit of Mrs. Brown's influence lives on, not just in the Viona bracelet, but in our company's dedication to creativity and making a positive impact.

Remember Ben Higgins? He was the star of ABC's "The Bachelor" 20th season and one of the most beloved contestants on the show. He's also a local from our small town of Winona Lake, Indiana. Here's the story of how we had the opportunity to collaborate with him...

In October 2015, during the filming of Ben's hometown visit, our founder, Luke, gifted Ben a MudLOVE bracelet (because, that's just what Luke does, no strings attached) Ben's choice? Hope, on a blue cord. And they both went their separate ways, or so Luke thought.

In January 2016, when the show premiered, we settled in to watch - this was a big deal for our little town. We saw clips, McDonald's commercials, and full episodes of Ben - wearing his hope bracelet! Awesome! We were pumped that Ben wore the bracelet for the same reason many others do – as a source of encouragement.

After a few episodes, the bracelet piqued viewers' interest. What was it? What did it signify? What did it mean to him? Subsequently, local TV and radio stations began calling, requesting interviews with Luke about the bracelet on the show.

Recognizing an opportunity, Luke and Ben connected on how to bring true hope to this sudden popularity. Ben, had a connection with the organization , and Luke, dedicated to demonstrating love in action, donated half of the proceeds from every hope bracelet sold to aid impoverished individuals in Honduras.

At the height of his fame, Ben posted the very image you see first in our post on Instagram and told people to place orders. And they ordered - relentlessly! For weeks, we operated "hope train" shipping stations dedicated to shipping hope bracelets all day. The phone rang off the hook. We had to set up a new voicemail stating that we were "drowning in a sea of hope" and would return calls asap.

It was a significant moment for MudLOVE, a profound impact was made on the people in Honduras, and Ben's selflessness was truly inspiring.

When you're a small business that is growing rapidly, it's a special feeling. You feel invincible. Crushing it. It's a surge of adrenaline. Confidence is off the charts. Which can be a trap...

Then you try new ideas to expand you product line to prove to yourself and others that you're not a one hit wonder because of one successful product. Of course sustainability has to be achieved through diversity in development! Right?

So that's what we did. It wasn't great. We were learning the hard way. Here's a handful of our R.I.P. products. REALLY. INEFFECTIVE. PRODUCTS.

These products that "failed" led us to new ideas eventually, so it was worth it. We didn't let the lack of interest with creepy smiley face magnet man get us down. We just kept trying. And now, 15 years in, we can laugh.

Now we enter the growth phase... But with growth came a challenge that needed addressed. An enormous problem to solve. Streamlining production.

The ceramics industry is full of tools, jigs, and equipment to make all kinds of clay creations at a high level. However, there was nothing that could make our Original bracelet. We basically had to create an invention to create our invention, and fast.

At that time, Luke's dad was a recently retired master carpenter that had specialized in very high-end staircases. A master of jigs. He was the perfect craftsman to help MudLOVE streamline.

So one intricate detail at a time, Paul helped build a tool that would stamp and poke holes in the clay to make bracelets consistently. Creating something that could be used by someone without a ceramics degree, an art degree, or any degree at all could use.

To this day (although we've made huge improvements), we still use the same invention to make Original bracelets. Verified and approved by a manufacturing consultant, we use this tool to bring our customers consistent, high-quality, products that are efficiently handcrafted so we can provide a fair price.

Thanks Papa Pete for using your skills to help us build a legacy product that everyone can enjoy.

MudLOVE bracelet sales felt like a freight train at the time. Unstoppable. At one point we had 5 employees crammed into the garage making bracelets, and could barely keep up. We had pushed pause on custom pottery and focused on making bracelets at a high level. We had officially outgrown the garage, and was time to expand.

On a whim and a prayer, a much bigger building down the road became available and we jumped at the opportunity. The team had grown from 5 to 25 in no time. Construction began, and a new chapter was unfolding. The building even came with a free antique chalkboard, which we eventually used to track orders. It was highly sophisticated.

This building was our new headquarters for the next 10 years. As sales increased, so did our team, our equipment, and our ideas. It was time to grow up from the mentality of little garage experiment to a real business.

What is this?! Dinosaur bones? Nope. This is Gen 1 of the MudLOVE bracelet, which was named Lovebands at the time. Here's the story:

About a year into the business, our founder was stuck on this idea of creating a clay product that could connect with anyone. So late one night in the studio, the inspiration hit to make a bracelet. The bracelet was made out of clay, using our stamp set and a dowel rod. Instead of holes there were hooks and it was assembled together with hair elastics. Ha! The design was rough..

In the summer of 2010, for the sake of trying new ideas, the inspirational dinosaur bone bracelets were marked at $1 each and scattered on the work table away from the nicer pottery on the shelves. Customers would step in the garage, scan the pottery, look around a bit, and then were always drawn to the bracelets. With 100 bracelets to start, they sold out in a week. Luke couldn't believe it!

Soon enough, more people would come into the shop after being gifted a dinosaur bone bracelet, wanting to get some of their own to give away. The trend kept growing until by the time Christmas rolled around, there was a line of people rolling out of the garage into the cold, patiently waiting for Luke to tie each one to their own color choice. Clearly, there was something special about the product, and the next 14 years would be spent refining it's potential.

Today, we still operate by this philosophy - just start! Try new things, don't always strive for perfection, but instead connection. Listen to customers, stay nimble in product development, take risks (but not too big of ones), be very patient in expectations, and use "mistakes" to refine the process.

There's no official record of the most popular Original Bracelet, but we can safely say that our loved bracelet has sold more than any other word we offer. For a loved one - it's the perfect gift. The subtle reminder that you are loved could be all you need to get through the day.

From an old dust-collecting stamp set, to over hundreds of thousands of impressions into a little pieces of clay. We're proud of how our community has used one small thoughtful gift at a time to make it's own impression on the world.

The iconic garage, the birthplace of MudLOVE. Some of the most fascinating entrepreneurial stories start in a garage, but have you ever wondered why? There's truly some kind of magic to a garage startup. There are limited resources, there's limited space, and for MudLOVE being in a shopping community, there were constant interruptions to getting products made. Although little nieces and nephews to the founder made for special play in the clay with Uncle Luke time, which was great.

Unapologetically MudLOVE started with little direction and little faith or desire for it to get much bigger. The goal was to just create and see what sticks, make a little money to survive and give some money back to support clean water projects in the Central African Republic. Starting with custom pottery, the custom jobs and the sales were scarce. A true starving artist situation with a $25/week food budget for our founder.

It didn't matter though. What mattered was he was doing something he loved. Staying in a constant state of trail and error, trying to connect with customers about potential desires that could be created to make ends meet. MudLOVE was functional, but it would take one full year before the Original Bracelet made it's first appearance.

September 1 will mark the 15th year of MudLOVE. It all began with just a potter in a garage, some clay, and a stamp set he inherited from his grandmother (shown here). From these humble beginnings, MudLOVE was created to serve as a vessel for spreading love through action. The simple gift of a word has served as a source of hope and strength for many.

This heartfelt vision has been at the core since day 1. The simple goal was to craft a product that could be cherished by anyone, regardless of age, gender, or financial status. After a challenging year, the Original Bracelet emerged as the product that perfectly embodied this vision, crafted from hair elastics and clay resembling a dinosaur fossil.

As we approach this significant milestone, we will be sharing origin stories, reflecting on the tools and processes that kickstarted our journey, and expressing our gratitude for the unwavering support from our community.

This is not a promo, this is just how it's going down. Buy 4 matching bracelets, and get 1 free. Your friends are counting on you.

Our most powerful fundraising tool yet. Our smart bracelets can be programmed to any webpage to raise money or awareness with just a simple tap. How will you use Beacon to meet your fundraising goals?

If you're on the hunt for the perfect gift for a swag bag, welcome basket, or free handout for an event, you're in luck. We've curated 3 of our top products to help you out!

https://www.mudlove.com/

Get a beacon for you and your bff! You can preset a text to send each other with just a tap of your phone or access a shared playlist. Then you won't just be bffs, you'll be bbffs. ❤️

https://www.mudlove.com/collections/beacon-bracelets/products/beacon-heart-woven-bracelet

The Pickleball Beacon bracelet. Ice bath proof. Pickleball battle proof. Hot shower proof. Giving you plenty of time to stretch before your games in the Pickleball tournament because you linked your Beacon to the tournament schedule for easy access... proof. D**k different.

https://www.mudlove.com/products/beacon-pickleball-active-bracelet

Beacon bracelets are the perfect tool to enhance your conference with unforgettable branding. When a Beacon is scanned, it sparks a conversation and the next big world-changing idea.

Don't forget we offer bulk orders at just 25 units! https://www.mudlove.com/pages/pages-beacon

Beacons are a powerful tool for connection. Your Beacon bracelet fosters genuine conversation, and helps break the ice.

Raise your hand if you want to be able to personalize your own Beacon! https://www.mudlove.com/pages/pages-beacon

Leave a lasting impression with a custom-branded Beacons that showcases your company logo, event theme, or promotional message.

Empower attendees, employees, or clients to effortlessly exchange contact information and connect on a deeper level.

Delight recipients with a unique, tech-savvy gift that combines functionality, style, and personalization.

Enjoy special pricing on bulk orders, making Beacons a cost-effective solution for large-scale events and gifting.

https://www.mudlove.com/pages/pages-beacon

Have you found your Beacon yet? Featured here is our collection of Active Beacon bracelets with fashionable and fun designs.

Created to go on any journey, these handcrafted bracelets are waterproof and adjustable in size. Using our Beacon app, you can reprogram your Beacon on the go in a matter of seconds.

https://www.mudlove.com/pages/pages-beacon

To celebrate our Beacon Launch we're offering 30% all Beacon Products when you spend $50 or more through tomorrow. So we have to ask... Which Beacon is beckoning you?

www.mudlove.com/beacon

You may think.. how do I get started with Beacons? We'll tell you! Every Beacon comes preprogrammed to take you to our app download page. Once you download the app you can reprogram your Beacon to do whatever you want!

Program your Beacon to open your favorite Spotify playlist, Instagram profile, YouTube channel, or send a pre-written text message. Simplify your daily routines and access your digital world with a single tap.

www.mudlove.com/beacon

Don't forget! You have until the end of May to get our Eclipse Friendship bracelets discounted in bulk purchases! You can get up to 70% off your bulk order! These are such a unique bracelet, get yours now for the grads you know, the dads you know , or anyone in between!

https://www.mudlove.com/collections/may-bulk-promotion

Before I left for nursing school, I was talking to my best friend at the kitchen table about why I wanted to be a nurse...to be of service to others. I was doodling, and left the notepad on the table. I graduated from nursing school 3 years later. As a graduation gift, my dad gave me a picture he had hand crafted a frame especially for. It was my doodle paper that he had written the word SERVICE on. He had carried it folded in his wallet all that time. The Mudlove bracelet I chose at a women's empowerment seminar I attended this year has the word "serve." on it. After a 40 year career in nursing, I inactivated my license in March. My Mudlove word, "serve.", reminds me that I am still able to serve humanity in a number of other ways outside of being an RN.

Have you gotten your Eclipse Friendship Bracelet yet? They are so unique and would make the perfect bulk order or personalized order for you and your bestie ❤️

Get yours here!!

https://www.mudlove.com/products/personalized-eclipse-friendship-bracelets-on-elastic-band

😂 Our hand-made bracelets are the perfect balance of classic and fun without the plastic 🥰. You can find the perfect style for everyone.

Get yours here:
https://www.mudlove.com/

You won't believe what's coming 🤗 On June 1, we will be dropping our most revolutionary product yet! Our bitty beads won’t be the only ones talking about it!

🚀👀

Are you ready? Our bulk promo for the month of May features our 🌎️🌕️🌞...

Eclipse Friendship Bracelets! You can get up to 70% off your bulk order this month! We know you're looking for the perfect gift for the grad or mom in your life!

Check them out now!

https://www.mudlove.com/

The Eclipse Friendship Bracelets will be available in bulk on vionas and elastics. Need just one? You can get them personalized in the same styles.

Seriously, check them out!
https://www.mudlove.com/pages/friendship-bracelets