Vickery Trading Company

What Vickery Trading Company does

Vickery Trading Company (VTC) is a Dallas-based nonprofit social enterprise founded in 2016 that equips refugee women for long-term economic self-sufficiency through a 21-month holistic program combining vocational sewing training, personal development (English, digital and financial literacy, mental health support), and fair wages from day one. The organization is led by Executive Director & Founder Stephanie Giddens and operates from a single headquarters at 5750 Pineland Dr., Dallas, intentionally located in a refugee neighborhood so participants can walk to work, with shifts scheduled during school hours to reduce childcare costs. Program graduates are placed in jobs tailored to their skills, and over 60% of Associates secure their first paid job through VTC.

The enterprise operates three revenue streams. First, a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront built on Shopify sells handcrafted apparel (the Khalida button-up line in Tencel and hemp/organic cotton, the Mursal tee) and artisan earrings (Clarisse, Zainab) made from upcycled horn, with prices ranging from $23.50 to $81 and US-only shipping via USPS. Second, paid adult sewing classes ($80/session) and teen/tween sewing camps ($225 for 4 sessions) generate community-earned income. Third, donations accepted at preset ($10, $30, $100) and custom tiers, with recurring options, constitute what appears to be the largest revenue contribution.

The underlying technology stack is intentionally lightweight — no proprietary platform exists; operations rely on Shopify for commerce, Bloomerang for volunteer/donor management, and Judge.me for product reviews. Strategic partnerships anchor the model: the International Rescue Committee delivers digital literacy and Chromebooks, Northwest Community Center co-hosts community programming, and a volunteer network drives referral-based participant acquisition. The organization employs approximately 15 staff and serves only the Dallas market, with no disclosed expansion plans beyond the US.

Name

Vickery Trading Company

Legal name

Vickery Trading Company

Website

https://vickerytrading.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Vickery Trading Company is a Dallas-based nonprofit social enterprise that equips refugee women for long-term self-sufficiency through a 21-month program combining vocational sewing training, personal development, and fair wages, funded via donations, e-commerce apparel sales, and paid community sewing classes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: E-commerce sales of handcrafted clothing and accessories (shirts, tote bags, earrings) made by refugee women Associates. Products sold directly through Shopify storefront with prices ranging from $23.50 to $81.00.
2. Sewing Classes and Camps: Revenue from teaching adult sewing classes (basic alterations, tote bag, hemming) at $80 per class, and summer camps for teens and tweens at $225 per camp session.
3. Donations: Charitable donations from individuals and organizations supporting refugee women training programs. Website accepts recurring donations (weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, annual) and one-time gifts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Vickery Trading Company is a Dallas-based nonprofit social enterprise that provides vocational sewing training and holistic personal development services to refugee women. Associates receive fair wages while producing handcrafted clothing (Khalida and Mursal lines) and artisan earrings (Clarisse and Zainab) sold through a direct-to-consumer Shopify e-commerce store. The organization also generates revenue from adult sewing classes, teen/tween summer camps, and charitable donations.

Product overview

Vickery Trading Company operates a holistic social enterprise offering vocational training, personal development, and fair wages to refugee women in Dallas. The core product portfolio includes sustainable clothing (Khalida and Mursal shirt lines made from hemp, organic cotton, and Tencel), artisan jewelry (Clarisse and Zainab earrings crafted from upcycled horn), and digital gift cards. The organization also offers adult sewing classes, teen/tween sewing camps as community education programs. Products are sold through their Shopify e-commerce platform to fund their mission of equipping refugee women for long-term success.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adult Sewing Classes
• Teen Sewing Camp
• Tween Sewing Camp
• Khalida Solid White Shirt
• Khalida Striped Blue Shirt
• Mursal Neutral T-Shirt
• Mursal White T-Shirt
• Mursal Navy T-Shirt
• Clarisse Earrings
• Zainab Earrings
• Gift Card

Quantifiable outcome

• 60%+ of Associates get their first paid job through VTC
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• International Rescue Committee (IRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRC provides computer skills instruction to VTC Associates, teaching basic computer skills, internet use, and email management. Upon passing the class, every woman receives a Chromebook. This partnership addresses the digital literacy barrier that refugee women face.
• Northwest Community CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for hosting Conversation Partner lunch program where volunteers and Associates share meals and practice English together. Also partner for community events including World Refugee Day celebrations and the 10th anniversary celebration. Located at 5750 Pineland Dr., Dallas, TX 75231.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Krochet Kids International: Nonprofit social enterprise that employs women in Uganda and Peru to produce apparel and accessories, selling through e-commerce — a near-mirror of VTC's refugee-women-sewing-to-DTC model.
• Sseko Designs: Social enterprise employing women in Uganda to make fashion accessories and apparel, sold direct-to-consumer — directly comparable mission, customer base, and channel mix.
• Same Sky: Social enterprise employing women in Rwanda to produce handcrafted jewelry and accessories, sold via DTC — comparable artisan-product, women-empowerment, and e-commerce model.
• Trades of Hope: Cause-driven direct-sales company partnering with artisan groups worldwide to make apparel and accessories — comparable women-empowerment through handmade-products thesis.
• International Princess Project: Nonprofit that provides employment to women at risk through sewn apparel production and sales — same 'vocational sewing → economic empowerment → product sales' chain as VTC.
• Ethiopia HOPE: Nonprofit social enterprise employing women in Ethiopia across coffee and artisan goods with U.S. DTC distribution — analogous workforce-development-plus-ecommerce model.
• Refuge Coffee Co. Refugee-employment social enterprise operating a cafe/roastery in Atlanta — same refugee-workforce-development thesis, applied to food rather than apparel.
• Homeboy Industries: Largest nonprofit workforce-development social enterprise in the U.S., offering vocational training and product-based businesses — comparable 'vocational training + social enterprise + retail' operating model for a vulnerable population.

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries International: National nonprofit with retail stores that fund workforce-development programs for barriered populations — overlapping mission and earned-revenue model, but much larger scale and broader scope than VTC.

Others

• Nest: Nonprofit that supports artisan and refugee/migrant producer communities globally with training and market access — adjacent ecosystem player enabling similar social-enterprise apparel brands.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/vickerytradingcompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/vickerytradingcompany

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vickery Trading Company