Washington, D.C. — This week, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, named Rethreaded of Jacksonville, Florida as the U.S. Senate Small Business of the Week.
 
Rubio released the following video message to congratulate Rethreaded as the Senate Small Business of the Week. A broadcast quality version can be found here.
 
“As Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, it is my pleasure to honor Rethreaded as the Senate Small Business of the Week.
 
“Founder Kristin Keen established Rethreaded in 2011 to employ women who are survivors of human trafficking. 
 
“Rethreaded, which offers a selection of conscious gifts and handcrafted accessories at its storefront in Jacksonville, Florida and online, has employed 40 women throughout its history. 
 
“Since 2017, Rethreaded has partnered with Southwest Airlines to “up cycle” used leather seating into new products, saving 2.8 tons of waste from going into landfills.
 
“They were even featured on ‘Project Runway All Stars,’ which brought national attention to their mission and brand.  
 
“Rethreaded is a great example of the positive impact social entrepreneurship ventures can have on our communities.
 
“Congratulations to the entire team at Rethreaded and I look forward to watching your continued success.”
 
As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Senator Rubio continues the tradition of honoring America’s small businesses and entrepreneurs. The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship oversees proposed legislation on matters relating to the Small Business Administration and investigates all problems relating to America’s small businesses.