A little girl once dubbed “Miss Vanderbilt” by her mother, for her natural and unmistakable eye for high-quality and high-priced fashion, grew up and went to work for corporate America for over 2 decades. Feeling a motivated call to change her path and make a difference, Continue Reading »
Trafficking survivor sewing bags in fair trade workshop.
Among the many beautiful purses sold by Fair Trade Designs, some of the most popular are those made from recycled rice bags. These colorful and practical purses have changed the lives of hundreds of Southeast Asian women. Continue Reading »
I think women face a major obstacle, no matter what their age, when they’re starting a new business: fear of criticism. Everyone faces criticism and skepticism when launching something new, but I think women tend to take criticism personally and have a built-in desire to please everyone. If you let critics sidetrack you and instill doubt about your business plan, you’ll spin your wheels and waste a lot of time. So my advice is to stay true to your concept in the face of whatever criticism you get. Use any skepticism or negativity about your ability to succeed as a challenge–prove them wrong!
Thanks to Stephanie King, Fair Trade Designs
If you know anything about fair trade, it’s that its primary purpose is to alleviate poverty. But did you also know that a key principle of fair trade is to protect the environment?
By using eco-friendly production methods and either recycled, re-purposed, or natural materials, fair trade supports sustainable practices that minimize our environmental footprint. And since all products on the Fair Trade Designs web site are handcrafted, they’re created in many cases without using electricity or fossil fuels.
One of our most popular Continue Reading »
I used to be a speed shopper—grabbing what caught my eye without giving much thought to how, where or by whom it was made.
But as I resurrected my former green self from college days and became involved in fair trade, my shopping rate has slowed to a snail’s pace. I want to know as much as I can about what I’m buying so I diligently read labels and ask questions before I hand over my money.
Biking past hand-painted fabric drying in the sun.
Is it made in a place known for sweat shops? Were animals or the earth harmed to make it? How much of what I’m paying gets back to the original producer? Questions not easily answered by reading labels.
So when I was thinking about starting my fair trade business, I knew I wanted to include as much information about the product and its makers as I could find. Since there are still plenty of speed shoppers out there anxious to make a quick buy, I try to keep it short and sweet.
But for you folks who want more—and because I don’t want to short-change the craftsmanship and humanity behind the products—I’ll be regularly featuring in these posts one of the artisan groups who create the products I sell.
First up is Tribal Textiles, Continue Reading »
