How does Bone Boutique ensure its bones are ethically and sustainably sourced?
Our commitment to "Wearable Conservation" begins with our ethical sourcing. We meticulously acquire bones from a variety of sustainable and respectful channels: community call-ins for roadkill (which we still occasionally pick up), generous donations from local farms and hunters, and materials from animals harvested for food. Michele or Phillip personally salvage and process all materials. Crucially, Bone Boutique never pays for bones; this policy prevents poaching or illegal harvesting, guaranteeing our materials are acquired through entirely ethical and respectful means.
Does Bone Boutique accept custom orders or commissions?
For Bone Boutique, due to the unique and found nature of our materials, we are not able to take specific custom orders for bone carvings or designs. However, we are absolutely committed to ensuring our Wearable Conservation pieces can be enjoyed by everyone! If you have metal allergies, please contact us or leave a note with your order, as we offer a variety of alternative findings, from plastic to titanium, to ensure your comfort.
For painting commissions through our Images of Therapy division, we are certainly open to discussions! Please contact us directly to share your vision: Click here to contact us
What are the key challenges in running Bone Boutique?
Running Bone Boutique presents unique challenges, primarily educating our community about the true nature of ethical bone sourcing. There's often misinformation about bone art, and we're passionate about ensuring our customers understand that our "Wearable Conservation" pieces are created from respectfully sourced materials. Another ongoing balance is crafting beautiful, meaningful, and genuinely unique art while ensuring our products remain accessible, allowing us to continue our mission and passion full-time.
What is Bone Boutique's vision for the future?
Our vision for Bone Boutique is to continue leading the way in "Wearable Conservation," creating stunning, meaningful art that deepens connections with the natural world. We're dedicated to further educating and inspiring our community about ethical sourcing, dispelling myths, and championing the belief that "The Future of Luxury is Sustainable." We strive to keep our Passion Meeting Purpose for years to come.
What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?
My strongest advice for anyone interested in starting a business is to first and foremost, do your research and ensure you're deeply passionate about your product or service. Building a business is incredibly rewarding, but it demands hard work, patience, and unwavering dedication. Let your passion truly meet your purpose, and the journey will be worth it. You have to also be a tad bit crazy because that will come into question. xo
Has Bone Boutique received any awards or recognition?
Yes! We are incredibly honored to be consistently recognized by our community. We are a "Best of North Port" recipient for the past three years (including five awards in 2025!), and Michele was proudly named the 2023 Rookie of the Year by the North Port Area Chamber of Commerce. My diverse body of work, both 2D and 3D, has also consistently earned recognition and awards from prestigious institutions including the North Port Art Center, the Englewood Art Center, Ringling College of Art & Design, and Art Center Sarasota. These "Awards of the People" truly validate our commitment to ethical art and our community.