Tags:
Eric Spalding and Cole Evans returned from the Naval military service as Explosive Ordinance Device specialists in 2010, they both admit that they had little idea where they’d go then. Lounging around in Cole’s apartment at one point, the 2 say their idea came when a decommissioned bullet dropped out of Cole’s bullet-proof vest, and on the table. Evans took a picture, submitted it to Facebook-and the rest is history.
They produced fashion accessories range labeled Bullets2Bandages, that features polished bullets dangling from ball chains just like dog tags, bullet cufflinks, dog collars made out of leather and studded with bullets, .50 caliber money clips, women’s tees and tanks, six shooter shaving brushes, as well as the most popular seller, a .50 caliber bottle opener
Generally “bullet accessories” are made from brass casings from 9mm or 5.56mm ammunition, using reloaded bullet tips, sans explosives, and finally polished in the completing process.
BULLET BOTTLE OPENERS FOR CHARITY
Since the beginning of the company’s start, Evans and Spalding have combined with the Travis Manion Foundation donating between 15% -20% of sales toward assisting the non-profit. It’s a foundation close to hearts of both guys, but Spalding’s mainly. Manion had been his classmate and closest friend at the Naval Academy, and was slain by adversary sniper fire while battling in Iraq.
As Bullets2Bandages has grown, so have their close ties. These days they also partner with the Connected Warrior Foundation, Operation Ward 57, Red Circle Foundation, Marsoc Foundation, and Wounded Wear.
Commonly compared to the guys inside the film, “The Hurt Locker,” Spalding makes clear that the movie was purely that-a film. “In truth,” Spalding says, “most bombs these days are dealt with by robots.”
Via interview with Huffington Post, Spalding claims, “A 1 / 3 of most homeless people are veterans. Many are sleeping on the streets tonight which just does not sit right with me. There's all these different issues of changing into civilian daily life, and we all would like to assist along that process and be a leader for that in the business world.”
Apart from supplying the accessories and bottle openers via wholesale to the various veterans’ companies, Bullets2Bandages also implements former military servicemen to polish, cut, and engrave the bullets, and provides an internship program to recent ex- military guys through the Travis Manion Foundation. “We must support individuals switch out from the military, that gives anything a soldier needs, into the private sector. We provide the education and learning, and the rest is up to them,” Spalding says.
“Our accessories were produced from the thought of converting something which is capable of doing damage, for instance a bullet, in to a indication of hope and healing,” Evans says.
If you can have any thing changed into cufflinks what would it be?