A Jewelry Box makes a nice gift for Christmas and we have a lovely fair trade selection of fine Jewelry available. Made in India you can choose from boxes made from saris, or silk and skilfully decorated with embroidery. They are all beautifully finished inside. A good reason for purchasing fair trade items like this is to create a demand which helps to keep ancient craft skills alive within the communities of indigenous people.
From Hand-rolled Magazine Beaded necklaces/Bracelets/Earrings from Uganda, Tagua or Vegetable Ivory (an Elephants best-friend) to beautiful metal beaded lariats made by the Women of Trampled Rose in Ethiopia as they recover from fistula repair surgery, we have something for every woman.
We just received georgous sterling silver Butterfly Wing Jewelry from Peru. These hand-made jewelry pieces contain real butterfly wings encased in sterling Silver. The butterflies are from a sustainable and ecological butterfly farm, and the wings are harvested AFTER the end of the butterfly's natural life. Projects such as this support two groups, the regulated breeders of the butterflies and the jewelry artisans.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
A-Z of Shopping Fair Trade - 'I' is for Indonesia
Indonesia has seen great turmoil in recent years, having faced the Asian financial crisis, the fall of President Suharto after 32 years in office, the first free elections since the 1960s, the loss of East Timor, independence demands from restive provinces, bloody ethnic and religious conflict and a devastating tsunami.
There are a number of brilliant fair trade projects operating in Indonesia, usually supplementing the income of subsistence farmers. A lovely nativity set, is guaranteed to be a talking point in any home this Christmas, the bright hand- painted colours on the wooden figures are inspired by the Dayak traditional dress. Pekerti (Indonesian People's Folk-Art and Handicraft Foundation), is a social development agency formed in Jakarta, 1975. Its mandate is to supplement the incomes of subsistence farmers and rural people through the development and sale of traditional fair trade crafts and folks art. Pekerti trains and gives assistance to the producers to market domestically. They also give services in marketing, especially in export marketing, which cannot be done by the producers themselves. Pekerti also gives the producers an advanced payment for the producers and also a credit scheme for investment.
Our range of musical instruments is also produced in Indonesia by local artists, communities and craftsmen. Producers represent the five main religions and both male and female craftsmen are employed through the various stages of the production process. This helps to further maintain a social balance in these areas. Producers are allowed to dictate prices and these prices are above local averages. In return they supply high quality products and there is an attention to detail that surpasses products made under factory or other mass-production conditions. This rewards the high quality craftsmen and encourages other importers to work with the high quality artists above other producers.
Forced child labour is not used but the part-time training of older youths is encouraged. These trainees remain in education and they receive a full wage for the time that they spend working. This will ensure that they have a career to follow upon leaving school and will help to sustain the community for successive generations. All raw materials are sustainable and legal. No poached or endangered woods are used. No toxic or harmful materials are to be used in the production process and any waste created must be disposed of in an ecologically sound manner.
There are a number of brilliant fair trade projects operating in Indonesia, usually supplementing the income of subsistence farmers. A lovely nativity set, is guaranteed to be a talking point in any home this Christmas, the bright hand- painted colours on the wooden figures are inspired by the Dayak traditional dress. Pekerti (Indonesian People's Folk-Art and Handicraft Foundation), is a social development agency formed in Jakarta, 1975. Its mandate is to supplement the incomes of subsistence farmers and rural people through the development and sale of traditional fair trade crafts and folks art. Pekerti trains and gives assistance to the producers to market domestically. They also give services in marketing, especially in export marketing, which cannot be done by the producers themselves. Pekerti also gives the producers an advanced payment for the producers and also a credit scheme for investment.
Our range of musical instruments is also produced in Indonesia by local artists, communities and craftsmen. Producers represent the five main religions and both male and female craftsmen are employed through the various stages of the production process. This helps to further maintain a social balance in these areas. Producers are allowed to dictate prices and these prices are above local averages. In return they supply high quality products and there is an attention to detail that surpasses products made under factory or other mass-production conditions. This rewards the high quality craftsmen and encourages other importers to work with the high quality artists above other producers.
Forced child labour is not used but the part-time training of older youths is encouraged. These trainees remain in education and they receive a full wage for the time that they spend working. This will ensure that they have a career to follow upon leaving school and will help to sustain the community for successive generations. All raw materials are sustainable and legal. No poached or endangered woods are used. No toxic or harmful materials are to be used in the production process and any waste created must be disposed of in an ecologically sound manner.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
A-Z of Shopping Fair Trade - 'H' is for Holding your Head High
All of our products come with wonderful stories of the people making them but the story of Hatti Bags is truly inspiring. These beautiful bags inspired with sari prints are made by girls rescued from Indian circuses by the Esther Benjamins Trust.
In 2002 the EBT sent research teams to the 30 major Indian circuses. At great personal danger, teams identified 232 children under the age of 14, 82% of them girls and nearly all Nepalese. Most of the children had been trafficked at the age of 8 or 9 (although some had been as young as 5). They told how their village communities had been preyed upon by professional agents who had tricked their impoverished and illiterate parents into handing them over to the circus for just a few dollars.
Thumbprints on documents that the naïve parents could not read condemned their children to an 18-hour per day, seven days per week routine for the next 10 to 15 years. Inadvertently they were also handing over their children to a life of malnourishment, harsh training schedules and vicious beatings by the circus staff. Frequently the girls would also be sexually assaulted.
Bold rescue teams were sent to confront the circus owners and use all legal means on the ground to secure freedom. This high-risk process led to the release of over 200 trafficking victims during the period 2003 - 2009. The youngest children who return from the circuses can mostly - and safely - be reunited with their parents and join school at an appropriate age.
For the older girls who might lack the academic ability or interest in joining formal education there is a skills training project to help them get back on their feet and gain an independent life, however, it has became evident that securing jobs for the returnees is virtually impossible due to the social stigma associated with being trafficked. So in 2005, instead of trying to secure outside employment for the girls the EBT, in conjunction with Hatti Trading (UK) set up a handbag production centre under Fair Trade conditions to provide a realistic economic alternative to being re-trafficked.
In June 2007, Hatti took on responsibility for the production centre and set up an independent private, but not for profit, company called Hatti Production Pvt Ltd. They still work in exactly the same way, providing training and jobs for young women rescued by The Esther Benjamins Trust and the charity is still close on hand to look out for the girls’ welfare, but the production centre is now an independent entity.
What wasn't anticipated at the time was the impact it would have on the girls who worked there; suddenly, they transitioned from being ‘charity cases’ to independent professional young women working for a foreign organisation. Their self esteem went through the roof; finally they could hold their head up high when asked what they do. At the same time there was a move to a new premises so the locals had no knowledge of what they had come from, and the girls could at last truly move on from their past.
Hatti started with 8 girls, there are now 17, plus Ritu, the Production Centre Manager, Shanti, the House Mother and two security guards. Some girls are now living with relatives locally and there has even been a wedding recently. The main difference now is that the girls are empowered to make their own choices and have the confidence to do so.
In 2002 the EBT sent research teams to the 30 major Indian circuses. At great personal danger, teams identified 232 children under the age of 14, 82% of them girls and nearly all Nepalese. Most of the children had been trafficked at the age of 8 or 9 (although some had been as young as 5). They told how their village communities had been preyed upon by professional agents who had tricked their impoverished and illiterate parents into handing them over to the circus for just a few dollars.
Thumbprints on documents that the naïve parents could not read condemned their children to an 18-hour per day, seven days per week routine for the next 10 to 15 years. Inadvertently they were also handing over their children to a life of malnourishment, harsh training schedules and vicious beatings by the circus staff. Frequently the girls would also be sexually assaulted.
Bold rescue teams were sent to confront the circus owners and use all legal means on the ground to secure freedom. This high-risk process led to the release of over 200 trafficking victims during the period 2003 - 2009. The youngest children who return from the circuses can mostly - and safely - be reunited with their parents and join school at an appropriate age.
For the older girls who might lack the academic ability or interest in joining formal education there is a skills training project to help them get back on their feet and gain an independent life, however, it has became evident that securing jobs for the returnees is virtually impossible due to the social stigma associated with being trafficked. So in 2005, instead of trying to secure outside employment for the girls the EBT, in conjunction with Hatti Trading (UK) set up a handbag production centre under Fair Trade conditions to provide a realistic economic alternative to being re-trafficked.
In June 2007, Hatti took on responsibility for the production centre and set up an independent private, but not for profit, company called Hatti Production Pvt Ltd. They still work in exactly the same way, providing training and jobs for young women rescued by The Esther Benjamins Trust and the charity is still close on hand to look out for the girls’ welfare, but the production centre is now an independent entity.
What wasn't anticipated at the time was the impact it would have on the girls who worked there; suddenly, they transitioned from being ‘charity cases’ to independent professional young women working for a foreign organisation. Their self esteem went through the roof; finally they could hold their head up high when asked what they do. At the same time there was a move to a new premises so the locals had no knowledge of what they had come from, and the girls could at last truly move on from their past.
Hatti started with 8 girls, there are now 17, plus Ritu, the Production Centre Manager, Shanti, the House Mother and two security guards. Some girls are now living with relatives locally and there has even been a wedding recently. The main difference now is that the girls are empowered to make their own choices and have the confidence to do so.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
A-Z of Shopping Fair Trade - 'G' is for Gifts
G is for Gifts. This Christmas why not start a new tradition and buy fair trade gifts for your family and friends? For hundreds of thousands of people, Fair Trade means the difference between a hand-to-mouth existence, and being able to plan for the future.
There are some misconceptions that buying fair trade means sacrificing quality. This is not the case. Fairly paid artisans take pride in their work. Goods are often handmade, which translates into closer attention to detail and in the end higher-quality products.
Fair Trade means fair wages, safe working conditions and long-term, stable business partnerships for disadvantaged artisans and producers. It also offers the comfort of knowing that there was no child labour involved in your purchase. Your purchase makes a difference.
At The Mission Marketplace, we offer beautiful Fair Trade certified gifts; arts and handcrafts from the world's artisans.
There are some misconceptions that buying fair trade means sacrificing quality. This is not the case. Fairly paid artisans take pride in their work. Goods are often handmade, which translates into closer attention to detail and in the end higher-quality products.
Fair Trade means fair wages, safe working conditions and long-term, stable business partnerships for disadvantaged artisans and producers. It also offers the comfort of knowing that there was no child labour involved in your purchase. Your purchase makes a difference.
At The Mission Marketplace, we offer beautiful Fair Trade certified gifts; arts and handcrafts from the world's artisans.
Friday, December 3, 2010
A-Z of Shopping Fair Trade - 'F' is for Fair Trade (Obviously) Weather (Not So Obvious)
Most Fair Trade producers live close to the land. They are either directly involved in farming fairtrade tea, coffee, bananas etc. or are subsistence farmers supplementing the family income with craft production. As such they are concerned about their environment and the land. Fair Trade actively encourages better environmental practices and the application of responsible methods of production. Revenue from Fair Trade cooperatives is used on a variety of community projects, including training of producers in organic and sustainable farming techniques (i.e. composting). Where possible fair trade premiums are invested in diversification. Cafe Direct and their project, Adaptation for Smallholders to Climate Change" (AdapCC), supports coffee and tea farmers in developing strategies to cope with the risks and impacts of climate change.
All Fairtrade certified producers are required to comply with the international Fairtrade environmental standard as part of the requirements of certification.8 The standard requires producers to ensure that they protect the natural environment and make environmental protection a part of farm management. Producers are also encouraged to minimize waste and the use of energy, especially energy from non-renewable sources.
There is the issue of transporting goods great distances so that well meaning consumers can make fair trade choices. Saving the planet is not solely about reducing carbon emissions. There are over one million people in Africa whose livelihoods depend on supplying fruit and vegetables to the world. Carbon Emissions from the Africa/British Isles trade route are a tiny portion of our worldwide total. Cutting off the income of this many people would cause devastation on a much greater scale than that caused by the emissions. Most Fair Trade goods are actually shipped and that would be the case with the majority of items we offer for sale Fair Trade stores.
We must focus on the basic facts; the poorest people in the world will be affected most by climate change and the poorest people in the world have done the least to cause climate change. They need a sustainable income if they are to make the investments necessary to help them overcome climate change.
Fair Trade creates a way to secure this income for the farmers. Unfortunately, the benefits of Fair Trade are not reaching all Fair Trade farmers because of insufficient demand for their crops. Producers sell an average of 20% of their crop at Fair Trade terms; the rest goes through the world market at much lower prices. The same story goes for artisans. Lower prices mean that farmers and their families, in poor countries, live in poverty with no prospect of investing for climate change.
All Fairtrade certified producers are required to comply with the international Fairtrade environmental standard as part of the requirements of certification.8 The standard requires producers to ensure that they protect the natural environment and make environmental protection a part of farm management. Producers are also encouraged to minimize waste and the use of energy, especially energy from non-renewable sources.
There is the issue of transporting goods great distances so that well meaning consumers can make fair trade choices. Saving the planet is not solely about reducing carbon emissions. There are over one million people in Africa whose livelihoods depend on supplying fruit and vegetables to the world. Carbon Emissions from the Africa/British Isles trade route are a tiny portion of our worldwide total. Cutting off the income of this many people would cause devastation on a much greater scale than that caused by the emissions. Most Fair Trade goods are actually shipped and that would be the case with the majority of items we offer for sale Fair Trade stores.
We must focus on the basic facts; the poorest people in the world will be affected most by climate change and the poorest people in the world have done the least to cause climate change. They need a sustainable income if they are to make the investments necessary to help them overcome climate change.
Fair Trade creates a way to secure this income for the farmers. Unfortunately, the benefits of Fair Trade are not reaching all Fair Trade farmers because of insufficient demand for their crops. Producers sell an average of 20% of their crop at Fair Trade terms; the rest goes through the world market at much lower prices. The same story goes for artisans. Lower prices mean that farmers and their families, in poor countries, live in poverty with no prospect of investing for climate change.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
A-Z of Shopping Fair Trade - E is for Eco-Friendly
The Eco-Friendly Bag in classic messenger style makes a great Christmas gift for the stylish man or woman in your life. In natural materials in this Eco Friendly is perfect for the urban man with lots of stuff. The incredible story of how these bags are produced in Ghana is worth reading:
Double layer of recycled water sachets (4 layers of plastic) and handles anchored lower into bag to provide durability for reusable market tote. Zip pocket on front and inside.
One of the biggest problems in Ghana is trash and pollution. If there were a main product that wholly symbolizes this issue, it would be drink sachets. Drink sachets are the most popular item to buy on the street and highway, and due to this fact, they also account for the majority of litter on the ground. This plastic material is chosen because it is easily accessible and hygienic, but it is far from being bio-degradable, and therefore, takes quite a toll when it is not disposed of properly. However, Trashy Bags has decided to take advantage of this durable material by using these discarded sachets to create purses, wallets, briefcases, etc. Items such as these have a much longer and useful life span than their sachet counterparts with which they are made of.
The main goals of Trashy Bags are not just fulfilling its popular purpose of "cleaning up Ghana," but also to inform the public about the issue with drink sachets. Every customer, contributor, employee, and business partner of Trashy Bags is educated about this problem in Ghana, what the organization is doing to counteract it, and how a single purchase can greatly contribute to these objectives.
In association with Global Mamas, Trashy Bags is constantly growing and expanding. By employing Ghanaians from all over the country, the organization has developed not only a strong team of workers, but a very dedicated one as well.
This is more than just a bag; it’s a lifeline for a forgotten community.
Double layer of recycled water sachets (4 layers of plastic) and handles anchored lower into bag to provide durability for reusable market tote. Zip pocket on front and inside.
One of the biggest problems in Ghana is trash and pollution. If there were a main product that wholly symbolizes this issue, it would be drink sachets. Drink sachets are the most popular item to buy on the street and highway, and due to this fact, they also account for the majority of litter on the ground. This plastic material is chosen because it is easily accessible and hygienic, but it is far from being bio-degradable, and therefore, takes quite a toll when it is not disposed of properly. However, Trashy Bags has decided to take advantage of this durable material by using these discarded sachets to create purses, wallets, briefcases, etc. Items such as these have a much longer and useful life span than their sachet counterparts with which they are made of.
The main goals of Trashy Bags are not just fulfilling its popular purpose of "cleaning up Ghana," but also to inform the public about the issue with drink sachets. Every customer, contributor, employee, and business partner of Trashy Bags is educated about this problem in Ghana, what the organization is doing to counteract it, and how a single purchase can greatly contribute to these objectives.
In association with Global Mamas, Trashy Bags is constantly growing and expanding. By employing Ghanaians from all over the country, the organization has developed not only a strong team of workers, but a very dedicated one as well.
This is more than just a bag; it’s a lifeline for a forgotten community.
A-Z of Shopping Fair Trade - D is for Dinnertime
Dinnertime, seriously, one of Kevin's favorite words.
Christmas dinner is a very important part of the family’s celebrations and wouldn’t it be nice to serve it on a fair trade table cloth?
Our Batik and Block Printed Table Linen are hand-woven and gives you all the table linen you need for a seasonal spread. Our full-size cotton tablecloths comes in differing sizes.
Some of our table linens are made by The Tamilnadu Handloom Weavers Co-operative Society. Co-optex was established in 1935 and is a state government organisation which co-ordinates the work and sales of thousands of handloom weavers in Tamil Nadu. It ensures that the weavers receive a fair price for their work.
They might also make a nice hostess gift.
Christmas dinner is a very important part of the family’s celebrations and wouldn’t it be nice to serve it on a fair trade table cloth?
Our Batik and Block Printed Table Linen are hand-woven and gives you all the table linen you need for a seasonal spread. Our full-size cotton tablecloths comes in differing sizes.
Some of our table linens are made by The Tamilnadu Handloom Weavers Co-operative Society. Co-optex was established in 1935 and is a state government organisation which co-ordinates the work and sales of thousands of handloom weavers in Tamil Nadu. It ensures that the weavers receive a fair price for their work.
They might also make a nice hostess gift.
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