About the Founders
Brittany & Ian Bentley
Parker Clay handcrafts premium leather goods in Ethiopia, transforming communities through trade to create social and economic empowerment. We create jobs for vulnerable individuals and support prevention, rehabilitation, and job training for women transitioning out of trafficking. We share our story to educate our customers on the ways their purchases empower others within the global community.
Co-Founder, CCO
Brittany Bentley
Brittany Bentley is the Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Parker Clay, a lifestyle brand dedicated to crafting high-quality bags with a purpose. Following a life-changing trip to Ethiopia to adopt their daughter, Brittany and her husband, Ian, moved their family to Addis Ababa to support vulnerable women and children.
Inspired by the potential for positive change, they founded Parker Clay to highlight the beauty of premium Ethiopian leather and provide safe, dignified employment for at-risk women. In addition to her role at Parker Clay, Brittany also owns and oversees PCE Ventures Manufacturing in Ethiopia, ensuring the brand’s commitment to ethical manufacturing. Now residing in Santa Barbara, California, with her family, Brittany leads the design and development of Parker Clay products, staying true to the brand’s founding vision.
Co-Founder, CEO
Ian Bentley
Ian Bentley, Co-Founder and CEO of Parker Clay, has a background in social entrepreneurship and a passion for enacting change. Together with his wife, Brittany, he laid the framework for Parker Clay while living in Ethiopia. Under Ian's leadership, Parker Clay has grown to over 200 employees across their office, warehouse, and flagship store in Santa Barbara, California, and their factory and leadership team in Addis Ababa. Ian's dedication ensures the company stays true to its mission of creating high-quality products that empower communities.
Made In Ethiopia
Their commitment is to make a better bag for a better world, through a brand which is built to showcase the finest Ethiopian leather and craftsmanship, while providing meaningful job opportunities, vocational training, and beyond living wages for at-risk women. As a certified B-Corp, Parker Clay is proud to uphold the highest standard of ethical and sustainable processes in both production footprint and social impact. Add in the defensibility of a vertically integrated supply chain and loyal customers who deliver industry-leading eCommerce metrics and you get Parker Clay, a manufacturer, multi-channel retailer, and now one of the largest employers of women in fashion in one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa.
TEDx
We need to be a global community that fights for the value of those most vulnerable, and we need to be conscious consumers without compromising on the quality and style that we love. - Ian Bentley
Yahoo Finance
Brittany Bentley joined Yahoo Finance to discuss how the company is making an impact through employment.
Forbes
As a certified B Corp, Ian and Brittany aren’t just creating jobs in Ethiopia, they are paying their employees living wages that average 87% higher than comparable positions, while offering their workers life skills that will help them succeed beyond their Parker Clay tenure.
Men's Journal
Parker Clay’s founders, Ian and Brittany Bentley, wanted to create such an environment for Ethiopian women.