Rhea Alexander is the president and founder of D.I.G.S. Inc. a wholesale social enterprise that offers sustainable fair-trade products with a design appeal to leading retailers and museum stores and DIGS.com a new e-commerce site offering artisans, designers & non-profits working in sustainable materials direct market access. A designer/architect by training, she is an early adaptor of sustainable product design.

Alexander started DIGS in 1991 after graduating Parson School of Design, having spent a few years in architecture in NY and after apprenticing for renowned designers such as Andrea Branzi and Rodolfo Bonetto in Milan Italy.

DIGS started out over twenty years ago as a wholesale and consulting social enterprise aimed at producing and distributing eco-friendly home accessories using Fair Trade principles. As a consultant, she has worked for such companies as Umbra, Frigidaire and Hanover Direct. As a Private Sector International Development Consultant for SMEs through Aid to Artisans, USAid and DAI, she focuses on social innovation, empowerment and community dev't through Design. Her expertise lies in developing comprehensive plans for product innovation for artisans in developing countries, marketing and trend analysis, brand strengthening, designing and implementing strategic training and technical assistance to promote growth throughout the value chain: find buyers, improving stock management, quality control processes and implementation procedures, organize/rate SME suppliers, source equipment to create sales, jobs, and investment. Establishing opportunities for potential new markets, partnerships at local and international levels, develops capacity building initiatives, monitors and evaluating programs for fair-trade practices and specializing in sustainable materials and methodologies.

DIGS products have been featured in consumer magazines such as Elle Décor, Metropolis, NY Times and Country Living among others. Her products can be seen in internationally renowned retailers from Bloomingdales, Gracious Home, Barney’s to Lane Crawford and have won numerous design and best new product awards.