Our Story

The Hermit Crab That Started It All

In the local Dhivehi language, "Rashu" translates to “Island”, and this project was born from a simple walk on the beach. That day, we discovered a hermit crab making its home inside a discarded plastic bottle cap. Hermit crabs, or "baraveli" as they're locally known, are a common sight on our beaches. As they grow, they molt and seek out larger shells to inhabit. Too often, their search leads them through a landscape of plastic waste.

Across the Maldives, the most beautiful shells are often taken as souvenirs, leaving the crabs with fewer and fewer natural homes. This one small hermit crab became our logo and a powerful symbol for our mission: we must give plastic a new home, not the wildlife. We set out to remove the plastic, leave nature's treasures untouched, and create sustainable souvenirs with a meaningful impact.