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Our mission is to offer income-generating opportunities
to craftspeople in developing countries by following fair trade practices
including paying in advance at least the market price for items, ensuring that
craftspeople receive payment, and ensuring that the craftspeople work in fair
working conditions. We work directly with artisans, craftspeople, and producer
groups to achieve these goals and hopefully help improve the lives of some of
the people with whom we share this planet.
We are members of The Fair Trade
Federation and the World Fair Trade Organization.
Global Crafts was founded in
2002 by Kevin Ward, a VSO volunteer and Renice Jones, a Peace Corps
volunteer, both in Kenya. Upon return to the USA they launched Global Crafts. The core of Global Crafts work is to improve the lives of artisans. While
we are a 100% fair trade company, and are committed to supporting the work of
100% committed fair trade retailers, we also seek to introduce artisan products into
mainstream markets.
What is Fair Trade?
We suggest you visit the
Fair Trade Federation for a
detailed understanding of Fair Trade. We are committed to meeting all the
principles of fair trade listed below. The core of fair trade is that the
artisan is the center of our mission, decisions we make are always driven by the
best interests of the artisans. We work with artisans as partners trying to
involve artisan partners in decisions that effect them. We work cooperatively to
set prices and ensure that the price the artisans set is enough to enable them
to develop a sustaninable future that improves their lives. We always offer an
advance to finance orders and pay balances immediately on competion. We work
cooperatively to resolve any quality of production issues and never use our
buying power in a way that disadvantages producers.
We are proud to be able to
say that we have grown every year in terms of sales and, most importantly,
purchases. We know we can only do this with the support of both producer
partners and our retail partners.
Fair Trade Principles of the Fair Trade Federation
- Create Opportunities for Economically and Socially Marginalized
Producers - Fair Trade is a strategy for poverty alleviation and sustainable
development. Members create social and economic opportunities through trading
partnerships with marginalized producers. Members place the interests of
producers and their communities as the primary concern of their enterprise.
- Develop Transparent and Accountable Relationships- Fair Trade involves
relationships that are open, fair, consistent, and respectful. Members show
consideration for both customers and producers by sharing information about the
entire trading chain through honest and proactive communication. They create
mechanisms to help customers and producers feel actively involved in the trading
chain. If problems arise, members work cooperatively with fair trade partners
and other organizations to implement solutions.
- Build Capacity- Fair Trade is
a means to develop producers independence. Members maintain long-term
relationships based on solidarity, trust, and mutual respect, so that producers
can improve their skills and their access to markets. Members help producers to
build capacity through proactive communication, financial and technical
assistance, market information, and dialogue. They seek to share lessons
learned, to spread best practices, and to strengthen the connections between
communities, including among producer groups.
- Promote Fair Trade- Fair Trade
encourages an understanding by all participants of their role in world trade.
Members actively raise awareness about Fair Trade and the possibility of greater
justice in the global economic system. They encourage customers and producers to
ask questions about conventional and alternative supply chains and to make
informed choices. Members demonstrate that trade can be a positive force for
improving living standards, health, education, the distribution of power, and
the environment in the communities with which they work.
- Pay Promptly and
Fairly- Fair Trade empowers producers to set prices within the framework of the
true costs of labor time, materials, sustainable growth, and related factors.
Members take steps to ensure that producers have the capacity to manage this
process. Members comply with or exceed international, national, local, and,
where applicable, Fair Trade Minimum standards for their employees and
producers. Members seek to ensure that income is distributed equitably at all
times, particularly equal pay for equal work by women and men. Members ensure
prompt payment to all of their partners. Producers are offered access to
interest-free pre-harvest or pre-production advance payment.
- Support Safe and
Empowering Working Conditions - Fair Trade means a safe and healthy working
environment free of forced labor. Throughout the trading chain, Members
cultivate workplaces that empower people to participate in the decisions that
affect them. Members seek to eliminate discrimination based on race, caste,
national origin, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, union
membership, political affiliation, age, marital, or health status. Members
support workplaces free from physical, sexual, psychological, or verbal
harassment or abuse.
- Ensure the Rights of Children - Fair Trade means that
all children have the right to security, education, and play. Throughout the
trading chain, Members respect and support the UN Convention on the Rights of
the Child, as well as local laws and social norms. Members disclose the
involvement of children in production. Members do not support child trafficking
and exploitative child labor.
- Cultivate Environmental Stewardship - Fair
Trade seeks to offer current generations the ability to meet their needs without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Members
actively consider the implications of their decisions on the environment and
promote the responsible stewardship of resources. Members reduce, reuse,
reclaim, and recycle materials wherever possible. They encourage environmentally
sustainable practices throughout the entire trading chain.
- Respect Cultural
Identity - Fair Trade celebrates the cultural diversity of communities, while
seeking to create positive and equitable change. Members respect the development
of products, practices, and organizational models based on indigenous traditions
and techniques to sustain cultures and revitalize traditions. Members balance
market needs with producers cultural heritage.
For further information please
email Kevin at office@globalcrafts.org
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