“I care about the environment, I care about bees, and I thought making bracelets would be a simple way to help the bees,” says South Lakes senior JP Mackey, founder and CEO of “Bumble Bracelets,” a non-profit business that sells handmade bracelets to raise money for the bees.
Bees, an essential part of our environment, are estimated to perform about 80 percent of all pollination worldwide. In fact, seventy out of the top 100 human food crops, supplying around 90 percent of the world’s nutrition, depend on bees for pollination.
Unfortunately, the worldwide bee colony population has declined at a distressing rate. The U.S. National Agriculture Statistics show a honey bee decline from about 6 million hives in 1947 to 2.4 million hives in 2008, a 60 percent reduction. Humans are responsible for the two most prominent causes of the massive population decline: pesticides and habitat loss.
At just 12 years old, Mackey figured he wanted to find a way to keep himself busy whilst doing something good for the world. As a helper in a community garden near his home, he knew of the importance of bees for the environment, and decided he wanted to help them.
“I thought making bracelets would be a simple way to help the bees. Beads, bracelets, bees, it all kind of rhymes,” Mackey said with a chuckle.
Mackey started Bumble Bracelets in December of 2019 and has partnered with non-profit organization Heifer International, which works to give local farmers bee hives to pollinate their crops and make a little extra money selling honey, whilst promoting the bee population. Mackey has also worked with Hives for Heroes, a non-profit organization that gives back to veterans looking to start their beekeeping journey.
Since the start of his exclusively-online business, Mackey and Bumble Bracelets have been featured in a number of magazines and podcasts, such as the Northern Virginia Magazine, Ranger Rick, and several others. He’s also collaborated with Grammy Award-Winning DJ Tracy Young, Shawn Yancy of NBC 4, and Michael Phelps’ sister, Hilary Phelps, on bracelet designs. Along with Bumble Bracelet’s many accomplishments, Mackey attributes his business’ greatest achievement to the impressive $15,000 it has raised since its start.
“[The amount of money raised] really proves you can make a difference in the world,” Mackey said. “I turned a project into something amazing; if you told me back then I would raise $15,000, I wouldn’t have believed you.”
Bumble Bracelets are unique as they are made to order and are custom made to fit each customer. Mackey is Bumble Bracelet’s sole bracelet-maker and puts attention to detail in every bracelet he makes.
“I like to take my time [when making bracelets],” Mackey said.
On his website, Mackey’s twenty-seven beaded bracelet designs are categorized into sparkly, earthy, or glassy styles, with each bracelet featuring a special gold, silver, or glass bee-themed charm. His bracelets are made of stone, glass, or crystals such as agate, czech glass, aquamarine, labradorite, lava beads, and many others.
“I really like the glassy bracelets. The beads are smooth and easy to work with, and overall I think they’re my favorites,” Mackey said.
As for Mackey’s plans for Bumble Bracelets in the future, he’d like to research other non-profit organizations to collaborate with whilst continuing to make bracelets to raise money for causes that are meaningful to him.
“I’d like to work with more groups, continue on my charity, and keep doing what I’m doing,” Mackey said.
Interested in buying a bracelet to save the bees? Check out Mackey’s designs on his website: https://www.bumblebracelets.com/
