Paper is as Paper Does

Do you often put paper around your neck?  Do you keep your money and I.D. cards in the newspaper?  What about your flowers in a magazine?  Believe it or not, Fair Trade artisans often use the paper products we would throw away to do these very things.  The Fair Trade movement is very green and also very innovative.  From agriculture to packaging the Fair Trade standards hold true to their eco-friendly values and they've taken some creative avenues to do it.  Many Fair Trade products are made from recycled materials, and this includes paper.  Typically paper is used for books and fliers and little else, but in the Fair Trade culture paper has the potential to be much more!

Many are already familiar with the paper jewelry that comes out of Africa.  Strips of paper are wrapped tightly into beads creating colorful necklaces and bracelets, like these ones from Global Good Partners.  Creating these necklaces provides a source of income for many African women supporting children on their own, and sometimes even struggling with HIV/AIDs.  There are many Fair Trade companies that sell this from different parts of Africa, and they are one of the many products The Welcome Mat is proud to sell.

Serrv is a company that has some particularly unique paper products especially in terms of home decor.  These vases, bowls, and table runners are unlike any you've ever seen.  Many of their paper products are made by Get Paper Industry, a 125 person cooperative in Kathmandu.  In addition to recycling paper, this organization also uses old cotton rags and natural fiber from banana plants and corn husks.  

Not all paper comes from trees, and in fact it's probably better if it doesn't.  To prevent further deforestation there are different kinds of paper that can be made.  The Fair Trading Company takes this to another level with their elephant dung products.  This line of notebooks and stationary sets are safe and hygienic.  The raw material is boiled and disinfected, washing away all excrement but the plant fibers left behind.  It's these fibers that are turned into beautiful and useful paper.

This kind of innovation comes from not just the mind but from the heart.  People in countries all over the world are using their talents, and whatever resources they have available to them to create beautiful and practical products that are both ethical and eco-friendly.  The more we support groups like these and their entrepreneurial pursuits, the more we establish a new standard within our own economy, and our own culture.  Just like the paper that has been made into something new, so our society can be made into something new in a very beneficial way.

Green and Fair Trade Clean

April is Earth month, and this Sunday April 22nd will be Earth Day! It's this time of year when the sun is shining and the flowers bloom that we are reminded Fair Trade isn't just a movement benefitting people but our environment as well. We've spoken before on all the ways that Fair Trade is environmentally conscious and all it does for the planet as well as the people. But this week we get to talk about ways in which we as consumers can incorporate helping the planet while simultaneously helping people.

Of course, one of the best ways we can stay green is how we clean! It's important to keep our homes clean, but many products we use in the process contain chemicals that are dangerous to the environment, and toxic to us. But believe it or not, there are some Fair Trade alternatives that are good for the environment too!
For our laundry, the New Internationalist Shop and Ten Thousand Villages sells Soap nuts. Eco-friendly, biodegradable, sustainably produced, as well as compostable, soap nuts are a safe and natural alternative to harsh chemical detergents. There are different ways to use them, whether by boiling them to excise the soap or just throwing them in with your laundry. In any case, this product has gotten good reviews. You can get multiple washes from them and they are affordably priced.
Dr. Bronner's is well known in the Fair Trade Community for their soap with "18 in 1 uses." Their liquid soaps while typically used as a body soap boasts even more uses than just that, including as a laundry detergent, surface cleaner, and even fruit and vegetable rinse. Their website has instructions on different concentrations to be used for each use. In addition to this they have also come out with another product Sal Suds specifically for surface cleaning, and like their liquid soap it is Fair Trade, eco-friendly, animal product free, and not tested on animals.
It's not easy being Green, and it's not easy being fair either, but the Fair Trade movement is actively thinking of ways to help consumers out in our ethical endeavours. When we support these products we are part of the Fair Trade movement, and part of the solution to a healthier planet.

Build a Garden That Grows Fair

Spring is here! And with it the sun and the rain, perfect conditions for gardening. Whether or not you've been blessed with a green thumb, The Welcome Mat would like to give you some helpful tips on ways you can make your gardening experience ethically responsible.

Gardening definitely requires skill. It's hard to get the right results if you don't have the right tools. Here are a few places you can get what you need!

The what: If you are looking for some seeds to get started, West Coast Seeds, a company based out of Canada will have some options for you. Greenline does as well, and they are based in the UK. However you will have to become a member of Greenline before having access to what they have. Remember that when it comes to produce, if you are having difficulty finding a Fair Trade option, shopping locally is a good alternative.

The wear: Remember when working out in the sun, and sometimes with sharp and/or dirty objects, it is important to wear the appropriate gear. Traid Crafts has Fair Trade gardening gloves, hats, and aprons for your convenience!

The how: Traid Crafts also has planting pots, garden trowels and tool sets, tins, twine, and even mulch bags. Out of Wisconsin we have the Cobra Head! A unique and ethically made gardening tool. In addition to that Oxfam has terracotta water drippers and other handy gardening items.

With the weather on our side we can take our Fair Trade lifestyles to the earth! And build gardens that grow fair, not just fairly grow.

Another Step for Easter and Passover

This Friday evening marks the beginning of Passover which will last until the evening of April 14th.

It also happens to be Good Friday, which means this Sunday will be Easter. Two major holidays from two major cultures equals one big opportunity to support the Fair Trade cause. This seems especially fitting for Passover, as it celebrates the release of the Israelites from their slavery in ancient Egypt. Contributing to the fair treatment of others, and the attempts to abolish slavery around the world this weekend is especially poignant.

More chocolate is sold in the U.S. for Easter than any other day other than Halloween. With sales like that it is more important to support Fair Trade chocolate than ever. Luckily for us we have access to some Fair Trade options, such as these Fair Trade Easter candies, and baskets! Unfortunately Cadbury, a popular chocolate brand during the Easter season has Fair Trade chocolate available in the U.K. but not in the U.S. If you would like to do more than just buy fair trade chocolate, and you would like to support the abolition of slavery around the world, then you can sign this petition asking Hershey to make the Fair Trade change.

There are Fair Trade Passover materials as well available from Global Exchange and Fair Trade Judaica. You can incorporate Fair Trade into your seder or sign a petition for Fair Trade kosher chocolate. After all, this year's theme for Fair Trade Fortnight is Take a Step for Fair Trade! The Fair Trade Foundation would like to reach a total of 1,500,000 new steps for Fairtrade. Perhaps your next step could be having an Easter or Passover tradition of incorporating Fair Trade into your holiday celebrations. In any case,supporting Fair Trade is never out of place for any holiday.

One Small Step for Electronics

We live in a very futuristic age. We can electronically send messages with our voices or with text, download music, play games, record video, watch TV , and even take pictures all with the same device. Because of this our electronic devices are becoming deeply ingrained in our lives to the point that it's getting hard to live without them. Unfortunately, recent events have reminded us that just because something is important to us, or extremely useful, doesn't mean that its been ethically made.

Within the last couple of years Foxconn, a manufacturer of goods such as the ipad and and kindle has been under public scrutiny due to the suicides of many workers. A closer look at the conditions of the factories has led to some insight as to why the suicides occurred. Employees have released complains as to Foxconn's authoritarian structure and long hours. A saying amongst the workers is "they use women as men and men as machines." Apple has now hired the Fair Labor Association (FLA) to inspect the factories that make their products.

Unfortunately current steps towards fair trade electronics have stopped at the factory floor. As we know it is not just about the products being made but also the materials they are made from. Many of the minerals are from African mines under the control of government militias who use them as a means of oppressing their people. However we can not lose hope. It could take years before changes can be made at that deep of a level, but that doesn't mean we should give up. If anything this entire situation is an encouragement to keep the movement strong. It's because such injustices as the mistreatment of Foxconn workers were brought to the attention of consumers that the companies affiliated made steps toward change. As consumers we have the power to maneuver the market, and if distributors know that we will not support unethical practices, then their practices will be made ethical. Hiring the FLA is a small step, but it has the potential to be a giant leap for the electronic market.

Weaving Fair Trade and Silk

Fair Trade products are made from a variety of materials.  Whether it is cotton, burlap, wood, stone, or even recycled items, the materials have to come from somewhere, and the people who create or harvest those materials deserve fair treatment for their labor just as the artisans do.

And so it is with silk.  There is actually a long and involved process before silk scarves can be made.  We know silk to be the soft and colorful scarves we wear in the summer, or the sturdy and cozy material we use for bedsheets, but the cloth we know as silk is actually a product of skill and thousands of years of east Asian tradition.

Silk is a thread made from the cocoons of silk moths.  But before those cocoons must be made, the silk worm must feed on lots and lots of mulberry leaves.  This and and lots of fresh air is necessary for the silk worms to stay healthy, otherwise they could get sick and their silk will be of low quality.  When the worm is ready it will spin a silk cocoon around itself which will take about two days to complete.  Humans have been harvesting silk moth cocoons for 5000 years, so long that the insects are now completely dependent upon man because of such selective breeding, and have lost the ability to fly.  There are many species of silk worm. The white is preferred because of its higher production rates, but other kinds such as the yellow silk worm are primarily found in places like Cambodia.  

After the cocoons have been harvested they are boiled to soften the fibers, then the worms are removed and the cocoons stretched and spun into thread.  It is this thread that is dyed and woven into the high quality products we enjoy so much! 

Hear Fair Trade Roar

Yesterday was International Women's Day, so The Welcome Mat would like to discuss all of the benefits Fair Trade has to offer to all of women kind. Even though Fair Trade is beneficial to everyone, not just a specific gender or race, for women in particular what fair trade does can mean so much more.

Opportunities for work- In the long run it can be harder for women to find employment then it can be for me, especially since the list of "female jobs" is significantly lower than that of "male jobs." But Fair Trade companies intentionally provide jobs for women, giving them a foothold in the work force and an ability to provide for their families in a way that they were previously unable. Divine Chocolate is a good example of a Fair Trade company that is empowering women to have a stronger part in their communities development.

Education and training- Many Fair Trade companies do not just provide jobs, but training in the community for work in their company as well as other professions as well. Asha provides training in catering, education, and childcare.
Issues that affect women are issues that affect everybody, except a lot of the time it can be harder for them to overcome these issues because of their culturally lower place in society. Fair Trade gives women around the globe a leg up to a better life, and empowers them economically in ways they have so far struggled to achieve.

Education for their children- It's a little hard to teach your kids to read in addition to working. For many families in impoverished countries education and schooling is a luxury. However with the extra money received through fair trade, smaller communities are able to build schools and buy materials for their children's education. A good example of this is Rishi Tea, whom as we've said in our blog The Power of Tea has helped build schools in Asia in addition to other types of community development.

Better health care- Health care is a big issue all over the globe, especially for women. In addition to schools, the extra money received from Fair Trade programs helps provide medical care that would otherwise be unavailable to them. For instance, Tinsaba in Swaziland, Africa provides a mobile homeopathic clinic to combat the AIDs epidemic in their community.

Fair Trade Weddings

Now that the tinge of Valentine's day is fading from the air, and spring is whispering on our calendars, love and new beginnings are on the mind. For many this means a slough of weddings to attend as the late spring/early summer brides put the finishing touches on their big day. Fair trade can be incorporated into every part of our lives, and wedding ceremonies are no exception. Fair trade has everything you need to say some ethical "I dos."

• Stationary: When preparing the announcements or invitations for your wedding, give Vinati's Paper a look. Vinati's supply stationary specifically for wedding invitations.
• Clothing: Mata Trader's makes dresses for bridesmaids and flower girls, but of course things get a little trickier when it comes to the bride's dress. As of right now there is a lot of green and organic options, but if you want something with an actual fair trade label then its not who makes the dress, but what its made of that matters. Fair trade cotton is actually growing in popularity for every day wear as well as wedding wear.
• Flowers: While many fair trade sources are primarily based in the UK, we are lucky in America to at least have nationwide access to fair trade flowers. One World Flowers delivers across the country!
• Gifts: Of all of the categories this would be the easiest to accomplish. After all, if you want a fair trade lifestyle then just direct your friends and family to buying your house wear items at fair trade stores like The Welcome Mat! And that isn't even all. As we've said before there is fair trade wine and champagne available, as well as ethical jewelry to match your gown.

The Fair Trade Federation supplies even more great tips in their Fair Trade Wedding Guide. With these ideas you and your spouse to be will be ready to walk down the aisle Fair Trade style.

Handmade Expressions

As a global fair trade store, The Welcome Mat sells products from all over the world, sourced by multiple organizations. One of our largest wholesalers, especially for our selections from India, is Handmade Expressions. Founded in 2005 by Manish Gupta, this company partners with multiple NGO's and grassroots artisan co-operatives that source fair trade products from India. Many of the artisans that Handmade Expressions employs have been marginalized in some way, making them innovators in the empowerment of these people, enabling them to compete in the global market through socially and environmentally responsible products.

The Welcome Mat values the legwork that Handmade Expressions undertakes to make it possible for fair trade stores everywhere to obtain these unique items efficiently and reliably. Handmade Expressions believes that "economic sustainability and social empowerment are the keys for community development." With this in mind, it is their mission to bridge the gap between the talented artisans and the modern global market by providing them with the resources to compete with education, fair wages and health care. They also encourage artisans to be environmentally responsible by using as many recycled materials as possible.

As one of a kind and unique as the products made by Handmade Expressions are, the artisans themselves are much more valuable and important. Handmade Expressions gives these hardworking artisans opportunities to better their lives. It is exciting to see the good that Fair Trade is doing all around the globe and it is a movement that The Welcome Mat is certainly proud to support.

Fairtrade Fortnight: Two Weeks for Ethical Standards

Last October The Welcome Mat celebrated Fair Trade Month by explaining the beginnings of fair trade, however our fair trade friendly neighbors overseas celebrate Fair Trade Fortnight, and this year it begins February 27th to March 11th!

Luckily for us, this years theme doesn't exclude the new world from participating in the fair trade festivities. This year the Fair Trade Foundation is encouraging everyone to "Take a Step for Fair Trade." It can be any step, big or small, that integrates fair trade into our lives more than it has been before. Maybe you could buy fair trade coffee for your office next time its your turn to buy, or you could make a change permanently to fair trade sugar for your household.

Fair Traders from across the globe are cataloguing their steps on the official Fair Trade Fortnight site. The foundation's goal is to reach 1,500,000 steps by the end of 2012. As of right now the recorded steps number nearly 7000, but more can still be done, and the fortnight has yet to even start! Each step we take whether it is as simple as requesting fair trade options at your local super market, or as big as organizing a fair trade chocolate tasting at your school, supports the fair trade cause! So what can you do? The Welcome Mat is here as always to help you out, because every step is just another piece of the journey towards an ethical market.

Fair Trade is Red...Fair Trade is Blue...

...Because a fair trade Valentine's Day is for you! It's February, and that means the season of romantic love. Everywhere you go there will be advertisements exclaiming how you can use their company's product in a romantic way. Some might say "Take the rust out of your relationship with a new water softener," or "Let her know how much you love her with a new copper sink..."

Seriously? For Valentine's Day? Thank goodness fair trade doesn't have to fake relevance to the holiday. There are some things that are more traditional than home repair items you can get and they're ethical to boot! The first and foremost being...chocolate!

We've told you before about how completely awesome Divine chocolate is, but now we're here to report that this heavenly chocolate's heart beats for romance. The Welcome Mat has several flavors of their bar chocolate, and online their heart shaped

candies are available as well. Mix that with some fair trade champagne and your evening is good to go!

Roses are always a good decision, in fact, flowers are always a good decision. Believe it or not just like fair trade coffee and fair trade fruit there are fair trade flowers! One World Flowers ships fair trade flowers all across the country, making them available to just about anyone. Receiving a bouquet of ethical blossoms will remove doubt about whether he loves you, or he loves you not!

Chocolates are delicious, but once you eat them they're gone. Flowers are wonderful as well, but they fade with time. However, jewelry lasts. If there is one thing that fair trade can provide to you, it is jewelry (and The Welcome Mat has plenty in stock)! There are so many fun designs and pieces that it's hard to imagine not being able to find something to match any one's style. Diamonds are not always a girls best friend. Sometimes it's paper beads, sometimes copper, sometimes soapstone. But for those ladies who are especially close to diamonds, places such as Brilliant Earth and Pristine Planet will be the places to look.

Valentine's Day is a time set aside for you and your significant other to celebrate love, but when the gifts you give are fair trade, you don't just celebrate romantic love, but the love and compassion of the planet and communities all over the globe! And with love like that, Cupid's aim was never better.

Fair Trade Super Bowl

The Superbowl is one of the biggest social events in America.  It is a day of food, football, and now fair trade!  Now, I know what you're thinking.  "But how can I make watching a football game fair trade?"  Well, as we all know the phenomenon that is the Superbowl party is much more than what’s on the television screen, and with these tips you can make a difference while you cheer.
As soon as your guests walk through the door you can have a number of fair trade beverages and snacks waiting for them. Windmill Organics makes quinoa salty snacks, and Liberation can provide a wide variety of party nuts. And to wash it down, Maine Root has a selection of fair trade sodas, as does Ubuntu Cola.  By pre-game your guests will be munching and mingling more ethically then they ever have.

Although the season doesn't call for it, a good fair trade barbecue would not be out of place at your Superbowl event, especially when the hunger pangs hit by kickoff.  Thanks to the Peppermaster, there are a number of fair trade sauces available for not just your chicken wings but all kinds of meats and desserts too!  Add that to some fair trade chocolate cake, or chocolate chip cookies, and you've got yourself a tasty and ethical game day.

And of course, it would be a shame not to mention the availability of fair trade footballs!  Maybe your friends want to get their own game going, or maybe your kids need a new pigskin to throw around.  In any case, it’s good to know that there are many fair trade sports balls available for the ethical athlete in us all.

http://www.fairtradeusa.org/get-involved/blog/make-years-super-bowl-fair-trade-certified

http://www.peppermaster.com/fair_trade_certified?zenid=1f633b509c882c32e5300593082d837

The Power of Tea

Happy Chinese New Year! This last week China celebrated the beginning of the year of the Dragon. In honor of this cultural event The Welcome Mat would like to talk about a product both important to Chinese culture and to fair trade; tea! Tea has been a major part of the Chinese diet for thousands of years and for many of the people of China's Yunnan province it is their life.

In the South West corner of Yunnan lies the Jingmai Mangjing Ancient Tea Forrest. It is home to many varieties of tea found no where else in the world, and to some of the world's oldest tea trees, ranging from 600 to 1300 years old. The rich biodiversity of this forest also harbors excellent conditions for organic conditions. Jingmai is a gathering of villages of the Dai people, and Mangjing to the Bulang peoples. Both are descended from the Pu people, known to be the earliest tea

planters (1066-221 BC.) This ancient Bulong proverb explains the people's dedication and deep cultural connection to the tea trees:

If you leave the gold you will spend it,
If you leave the ox it may die,

We must leave the tea trees,

So they can grow and provide.

You should not let others take the tea trees.

You should protect the tea trees like you do your life
And never let them out of your control.

The only fair trade tea available from this unique part of the planet is distributed by Rishi Tea from the Ancient Tea Tree Association. The money the farmers get helps support community development, education, as well as environmental stewardship. Social premiums have helped the locals start a library, cultural center, agricultural training program, and make improvements such as road and water quality. In addition to this, the first two students from Mangjing Village were able to attend university! To some these things may not seem like a lot, but for Yunnan they are some very large steps towards a better life. Despite their natural resources and rich biodiversity Yunnan has one of the lowest income levels per capita in all of China. Thanks to the fair trade initiatives of Rishi more and more Jingmai Mangjing children are able to afford education, because more and more local schools are being funded.

So when we buy fair trade, we are not just getting a good product, and the producers are not just getting a fair price. We are providing people with education, better living conditions, and brighter futures. For Americans tea is a warm drink for a cold day, or a cold drink for a hot day. We use it to relax when we're on our own, and drink it with friends and social engagements. But thanks to companies like Rishi Tea our every day routine can be someone else' future.

Let Us Serrv One Another

The Welcome Mat has many products from artisans around the world, distributed by many fair trade companies. One company in particular does not just provide products from artisans in localized places such as India or Kenya, but actually empowers an entire network of artisans on a global scale. This company is called Serrv, and while the name may be humble, their impact is mighty.

Believe it or not Serrv is over sixty years old (making it older than the fair trade movement itself). It began with church relief workers after World War II and has since grown into a $9.5 million fair trade network. In addition to their primary goal of eradicating poverty and improving quality of life for their artisans, Serrv also works to employ women as well as supports development and education. The name originally stood for "Sales Exchange for Refugee Rehabilitation and Vocation," but since their outlook and purposes have expanded since WWII, they embrace the name for what it stands for in itself; service to one another.
Serrv supports and empowers artisans in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Americas in at least 35 different countries, and in addition to buying and marketing products Serrv also helps with things like product design, and technical training to help their artisans gain economic self-sufficiency.

Each artisan has a beautiful story, and it would take more than our little blog could handle to tell them all! But here are just a few of the companies making a difference in people's lives thanks to Serrv.

• In Swaziland, Africa. Tintsaba is making a difference in the lives of women and their families by providing them with more than just an income. Tintsaba provides training in literacy, business, and health education, as well as a mobile homeopathic clinic treating rural groups suffering from HIV/AIDs.
• VillageWorks of Cambodia was started by the Girls' Brigade of Singapore, a Christian, non-profit organization working to improve the lives of women in South East Asia. The name itself is meant to express the companies focus on work done by small village artisans using their own indigenous techniques and materials. They even make special use of recycled materials for their handbags and wallets.
• Sarajevo Phoenix of Bosnia-Herzegovina is an exceptionally inspiring group. Bosnia-Herzegovina, formerly Yugoslavia, was ravaged by the Balkan war in the 1990's. Sarajevo Phoenix employs Bosnian women-Serbs, Muslims, and Croats to help them rebuild the lives they lost in the war. What makes this so significant is not just that they are being helped in this way, but that the company is supporting the development of a multi-ethnic society built on healing the wounds of war. The Serbs, Muslims, and Croats can work side by side, and live side by side.

Serrv is a company certified by the Fair Trade Federation, Green America, and the World Fair Trade Organization. They are good for the planet, and good for people, empowering, and serving artisans across the globe.

When Fair Trade Meets Fashion

Being an ethical consumer can affect your entire life. It affects what you eat, what you drink, the gifts you give, and especially what you wear. Sadly the truth for Americans is that most of the clothing that we buy and wear is made in a sweatshop, from the hats on our heads to the shoes on our feet.
There are multiple causes to this blatant infraction of human rights. One issue is that many of the countries that harbor these sweatshops do not have the infrastructure to enforce international labor laws. However, sweatshops can be found anywhere, including the United States. Another issue is that many large corporations will pressure manufacturing facilities for cheaper goods. This gives them incentives to pay their workers less and make them work for longer hours.
However, one major cause that consumers have control over is ignorance. When we do not take the time to research all that why buy, we are kept in the dark about where our clothes and other products come from. In fact many corporations do not intentionally use sweatshops, but simply do not look into their own factories, keeping the conditions of their workers out of sight and out of mind. If we took the time to look and enlighten ourselves on the matter we would find the thousands of women and children forced to work over 10 hours a day and 7 days a week for pennies an hour.
So what is it that we can do? Most of us are not in a position to change corporate policy, but as consumers there are ways that we can influence the market towards change.

• Shop Fair Trade: As we've said before, by shopping at stores like The Welcome Mat we support ethical companies that pay their workers fair wages. This can be done with clothing too! Buying fair trade clothing is supporting ethical manufacturing and not sweatshop labor.

• Shop Second Hand: Second hand stores, and thrift shops sell lightly used clothing that has already been bought from other stores, so this time the money we spend on these items goes towards the seller and not the manufacturer.

• Stay Informed: The market is always changing, and there are always new ethical companies starting, and always new information regarding other companies. By doing our research and staying informed we are aware of which companies are ethical and which are not. Using this information to our advantage and spreading the word keeps consumers out of ignorance to the problems of the world such as sweatshop labor.

As consumer's we have a voice, and that is what fair trade is all about! Every dollar we spend is a vote, and when we vote for ethical products we show companies that we care about where our clothes come from, and we actually make a difference with our dollars.

Here are a few companies that sell fair trade clothing:

• www.tompkinspoint.com
• www.maggiesorganics.com
• www.haenow.com
• www.goodandfairclothing.com

A Look At Asha

This week as we all dive head first into the new years resolutions and making a difference in our lives The Welcome Mat would like to highlight Asha Handicrafts, a fair trade company making a difference in the lives of many artisans in India. By investing in products made with a wide variety of materials, Asha Handicrafts is able to harness a broad spectrum of giftedness in India, and in particular has supported work opportunities for women and education.
Since 1975, this innovative company has been giving marketing support to different groups of small producers and craftsman cooperatives in order to aid small scale producers. It houses two separate divisions, one overseeing trade, and the other overseeing welfare programs including training activities and producer development. Asha pays for products in advance, and orders from the artisans directly so as to minimize debt accumulation on behalf of the artisans. And by providing training and teaching facilities, Asha is able to empower more and more artisans, continuing the positive effect in the community, as well as the diversity of their products.

Asha artisans work in wood, metal, cloth, bone, stone, ceramics, and paper mache and produces products of other kinds such as incense and chutney. Jewelry, musical instruments, food products; Asha helps develop and sell such a wide variety of things that it is hard to imagine there not being something for everyone. By developing in different parts of India, Asha is able to support pieces that have been produced by those local people for centuries. Such as the leather work of Rajasthan or Beads from the Indus Valley Civilization or as we've spoken of before in this blog, the block printing of Jaipur.
On their website, Asha Handicrafts introduces you to a few of the artisans whose handiwork they employ. While each group employs many artisans and workers who create the beautiful pieces unique to their local cultures, one group in particular embodies the fair trade spirit through its equal opportunity endeavors. The Women's India Trust (WIT) is a non-governmental self-help organization for the women of India. WIT helps to educate and train women so they can gain employment in several fields such as nursing, screen printing, and even catering and food processing. They can also receive training as teachers for Balwadi, an education program for children providing them with a good foundation for further education when they get older. At any time there is at least 100 students in Balwadi schooling.

Asha Handicrafts does more than just buy products at fair prices. They empower small scale artisans of India to compete in the mainstream global economy, and continue to make further progress in the developing the equality of and equal opportunity for women, as well as the development of education. It is companies like this that is continuing to make fair trade a beneficial movement for global society.