About Maria Loyd

ABOUT  Maria Loyd.......

Maria Loyd is an artisan, designer and INVENTOR, living in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, known for her environmentally sustainable and socially conscious fashion. She creates distinctive products using recycled and natural materials, including leather treated with plant-based dyes, vegetable oils, and traditional Colombian textiles, which she incorporates into stylish, contemporary footwear and fashion accessories. 

Maria’s brand slogan is "The Evolution of Native Fashion." Her designs celebrate South American culture and indigenous artistry. Under her private TRADEMARKED label  MABACOL, where she is the INVENTOR of her designs.

✔ Rice-soled coffee bean shoes PATENT # US D983,503 S

✔Pumpkin seeds shoes PATENT # US D988,692 S

✔Moccasins PATENT #US D983,504 S

✔ 'Vegan' cactus leather handbags PATENTS # US D998,961 S, #US D998,962 S, #US D998,961 S,

✔ Handcrafted jewelry from cantaloupe and açaí seeds, eucalyptus leaves, preserved orange peels, flower petals, and tree sap resins MULTIPLE PATENTS

✔ Playful backpacks, wallets, and more MULTIPLE PATENTS 

Giving Back to the Community

Maria believes in using her success to give back. Through her "Giving Back" campaign, she donates a percentage of her profits to support indigenous schools in Colombia and schools in need worldwide, including projects like "Operation Rebuild Nepal." She also works with Don Wild Eagle and John Thorpe, champions for Native Peoples' rights in North America, and allocates a percentage of her business profits to support Aboriginal schools around the world as well as supporting kids in need worldwide.

Maria’s passion for education and social responsibility extends beyond donations. She organizes seminars for indigenous Kuna youth in Colombia, teaching them survival skills, financial planning, and overcoming obstacles.

Supporting Local Initiatives

Maria has also contributed significantly to community programs in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, including:

✔ Entrepreneur Student Program (which she founded) to motivate young women to become future business leaders

✔ The Jim Thorpe High School History Club & Cyber Bullying Prevention Program

✔ The Foster Kids Life Skills Seminar

✔ The Red Campaign (which she founded) to support the elderly during Covid 19

✔ The Burn Camp Program for children traumatized by fire incidents

✔ The Pocono Wild Animals Hospital

✔ The Reading Program at Dominick Memorial Library

Maria’s Unique Fashion & Craftsmanship, patented designs and registered trademark MABACOL.

Her work has been featured in major media outlets, including TV Channel 69, Harrisburg TV 21 News, Green Philly Media, and Pocono Radio 96.7. She has also been showcased in international art & trade shows in Milan, Berlin, and Paris.

A Life Shaped by Hardship and Resilience

Maria’s success story was not an easy journey. She grew up parentless in Colombia, often surviving on weekly rations of cheese and bread. Her life changed when the Colombian government enrolled her in a special handmade crafts program created by First Lady Dr. Graciela de Samper in the 1960s. This initiative taught underprivileged children to express their emotions through art and provided them with skills for self-sufficiency.

At just seven years old, Maria started working and by nine, she was handcrafting art pieces and selling them at art shows. Her talent earned her a spot as one of Colombia’s top ten young artisans, allowing her to showcase her work at national exhibitions.

Despite working during the day, Maria pursued her education at night, earning a diploma in marketing. This gave her the skills to build and sustain her own business, a knowledge she now shares through educational seminars in both Colombia and the U.S.

Building a New Life in the U.S.

In 2004, Maria moved to the United States to escape the dangers of Colombian political unrest. She arrived in New York City with no English skills but soon secured a well-paying job in the Beauty and fashion industry in Manhattan, where she worked for several years.

Maria later began organizing educational seminars for Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs in the beauty and fashion industry, helping hundreds of women in the beauty sector.