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Bonita Shop is A Business We Love!
A qualified industrial engineer, Macarena Erbs left her native Chile in 2015 for a year of travel and adventure throughout Europe before migrating to Australia in 2016, when she commenced working with a social enterprise supporting women migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Macarena was tasked with establishing its eco-friendly, sustainable product line, to which she herself contributed more than 35 items. Confronted with the onset of Covid-19, Macarena rose to the challenge by designing and strategizing the production of reusable masks, a project which enabled 80 vulnerable women to generate income from home.
In 2021, Macarena’s life took a very dramatic turn - she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She endured an extremely challenging year of treatment during which she lost her hair, including her eyebrows and eyelashes. As a breast cancer survivor, Macarena has a profoundly personal appreciation of the impact hair loss has on self-esteem, and from this, her company Bonita Shop emerged.
“One of the most distressing side effects of chemotherapy was the loss of my hair. Losing my hair meant losing my confidence to go out, looking at the mirror and not recognising myself, and being labelled as a cancer patient.
But - my body never let me down. My body was with me through everything. I used the energy from the very depths of my soul to stay alive, smile every day, and be with my loved ones. I was given a second chance at life, and I now feel I'm on my true and authentic life path.
I am overflowing with gratitude for the life I'm living.” - Macarena Erbs
Spanish for ‘beautiful’, Macarena chose ‘Bonita’ for her company’s name based on a mantra she recited to herself every day during her cancer treatment - ‘no matter what you are going through, you are beautiful yesterday, today, and tomorrow’ - something she is determined to ensure other women feel and believe. Macarena’s primary business goal is to stock every hospital cancer unit with Bonita Shop turbans and caps, starting in her hometown of Melbourne before expanding Australia-wide.
Whether you are looking for comfortable, flattering headwear solutions during temporary medical hair loss, or investing in timeless accessories, the modern, stylish woman needs to look no further than Bonita Shop’s bandanas, turbans, softie caps, and headbands. Bonita Shop also stocks gorgeous items for babies and fur babies.
Every fabulous Bonita Shop item is skillfully handcrafted by migrant women in Melbourne and, for every purchase from the head accessories line, $1 is donated to breast cancer research.
Bonita Shop - the official homepage