Here's the latest news-

Hi Everyone,
Here's the latest on eka-
Number one is that eka now has a blog which is updated regularly with news about eka and other things that influence eka and make it what it is and what it will be.
Another piece of news is a predictable one, it's that time of year once more, the new collection has arrived and will be in stores soon as well as on the eka online store.
We also respect that some customers prefer to try the collection when they purchase, so we have worked hard to grow the High Street stockist list this winter. Along with the original shops that have supported eka from the start way back in 2004, like Godiva in Edinburgh and the newer shops that are making their mark on the independent fashion scene like Unique boutique in Manchester, sit the new stores showing they respect our company ethos and individual designs, like Nastapimu in Finland and Design Torget in Sweden.

If you would like to check the collection out in person please visit any of the shops listed on our links page.
We would also like to take this opportunity to introduce our newest team member, Sofia, our new sales agent, having completed her education in Milan, she has decided to further her fashion studies in London. We wish her the best of luck in College and extra good luck finding some new boutiques to sell eka over there!

And last but by no way least, we would like to let you all know that there is a permanent 15% discount on the whole eka collection, as we grown we want to make sure that our customers gain from our success as well.

Take care everyone,

Love From eka.

ekawear.com

Last month, a report from the council said the most globalized industries in the United States, such as manufacturing, agriculture, and mining, saw cumulative growth of 38.4 percent over the past decade, just over half the 66.8 percent growth of the entire US economy. Industries unaffected by global trade, such as healthcare, construction, and personal services, grew 73 percent. “When you see that our most globalized sectors have lagged behind the economy as a whole, that tells me that our globalization policies have failed the economy,” Tonelson said.

Pete Murphy might be right when he points out protectionism may be exactly what our economy needs to get back on track.

Back in August Kendrick Imports gave the Blue Bird Young Stars football team in Hazyview South Africa a new football strip. Since then we have been working towards getting some more equipment for the team by asking big Brands if they would like to help.

[caption id="attachment_136" align="alignnone" width="320" caption="Blue Bird Young Stars in Action"][/caption]

Through Adam, who works for Tesco and has a contact in Lucozade, we have been given training bibs and water bottles that we will take to the team in December when we next visit. The team are going to be so excited when they get these, so a big thanks to Adam and Lucozade.

[caption id="attachment_135" align="alignnone" width="240" caption="The Lucozade kit"][/caption]

We are also in communication with Gola at the moment and hope that they will donate some trainers for the team as well, they are certainly very interested in the project. During the next few days we will be contacting South African Airways to try to get a larger luggage allowance as all of this kit is going to exceed our allowance!! Fingers crossed on that one!

The Blue Bird Young Stars deserve our help as they are a bunch of young boys who have a passion for football. The 3 coaches work hard with the youngsters to give them a real interest that gives them a focus and keeps them away from crime.

If any-one would like to help with this project, the team still need a range of other kit including balls, whistles, pumps for the balls, training cones etc. Please contact us on +44(0)845 475 1281 if you would like to get involved.

]]> http://fairtradekookboek.wordpress.com/?p=291 Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:48:50 +0000 de verbaasde kabouter http://fairtradekookboek.ja.wordpress.com/2008/10/10/de-markt-voor-eerlijke-handel-in-belgie-%e2%80%93-2007/ Uit een recente studie over de markt van de eerlijke handel blijkt dat fairtrade nog steeds in de lift zit. De toegenomen bereikbaarheid en het uitgebreide gamma zorgen ervoor dat de belangstelling voor producten van eerlijke handel blijft groeien.

In aanloop naar de Week van de Fairtade (1/10-11/10) voerde Idea Consult in opdracht van het Fair Trade Centre een studie uit naar de markt voor eerlijke handel in België. Het steeds grotere succes van fairtrade is vooral te verklaren door de toegenomen bereikbaarheid en uitbreiding van het gamma. De studie verzamelde informatie bij eerlijke handelsorganisaties, supermarktketens, overheden en Max Havelaar.

De detailhandelsomzet is met 16,5% gestegen t.o.v. 2006 tot 39,6 mio euro. Het aandeel van de supermarkten is gegroeid tot 49,6%, de eerlijke handelswinkels nemen de andere helft voor hun rekening.

[Samenvatting van de studie]

Tomorrow I am going to take my tame builder to see the flat above the shop, the one we hope will prove to be a good place for us to live.  We need to work out whether it will cost us more to do it up, than it would to rent somewhere.  The moment of truth is getting nearer.

I've also managed to get some work going, I'm doing about two days a week's marketing for a clothing company, and this week Steve and I had a meeting with some local youth workers and a guy from the council, about running comic book courses for some young people who have been excluded from school.  This is the stuff we really like doing, and we're pretty excited about doing it.  We're also talking about some new comic book action, which we've been planing.  The new comic, which will form part of the SAM119 universe, has the working title: Zeke, and I think it could be really great.  We're probably going to do a free download pdf version, and possibly a limited edtion print run, cos we dont want to be left with loads of copies sitting under our beds for ages again!  Also, although we made our money back on the last ones, the work we got on the back of it proved to be much more pforfitable than the comic sales, and with much less hanging around in comic conventions :)

So things are moving along quite nicely, still to get my youngest daughter into a school, and still to get a house, but it feels a bit like we're gaining momentum, and I'm confident that the rest will fall into place pretty soon.

Looking forward to what the future holds!

Most of us don't think too much before we light up our stoves in preparation for cooking a meal. Yet, unfortunately, this daily activity which nourishes our bodies and brings families and communities together, can also severely impact the health of rural women in the Global South. The quantity of smoke they're breathing and the amount of time they spend in their kitchens adds up over the course of a lifetime. In fact, respiratory illnesses are one of the most common maladies that afflict the rural poor in Central America.

It's not just the health of women that suffers through this manner of cooking, however. As you can see from the photos above, it also takes a lot of firewood to keep temperatures hot. The constant gathering of ever more firewood is not only an exhaustive chore, but is also one of the primary causes of deforestation in the countryside. Ultimately deforestation causes a host of other environmental problems, such as soil erosion, decreased rainfall and water yields, as well as loss of wildlife habitat. We now know that the rapid rate at which we're destroying our forests is contributing to global climate change and more severe and more frequent natural disasters.

But in Boaco, Nicaragua, the Tierra Nueva Union of Co-operatives is changing all this. "We have to reduce our firewood consumption. The biggest drain on the forest is the need for firewood, so we're going to help our members acquire new fuel-efficient stoves that will eliminate the need to cut down so much wood," explains Pedro Rojas, president of Tierra Nueva.

Two years ago Equal Exchange and our Interfaith partner, Presbyterian U.S.A., funded a small reforestation, environmental protection, and food security project created by the Tierra Nueva Union of Co-operatives. This organic, Fair Trade coffee and honey co-operative has a long-standing partnership with Equal Exchange. After a visit several years ago, when we repeatedly heard from the farmers how proud they were of their efforts to protect their fragile eco-systems and saw how committed their president, Pedro Rojas, was in taking measures to conserve their natural resources, Equal Exchange and Presbyterian U.S.A. decided it was time to do our part as well. And so, the project, "Planting Trees for Life in Nicaragua" was born and funded.

This past month, Dana Welch from our Minnesota office, and I visited Tierra Nueva to see how they were doing, visit with the farmers, and learn how the project was progressing. We had a great visit and we were very pleased with the results. More importantly, so are the farmers!

Less time in the kitchen, smoke in the lungs, and destruction of the forest

Altogether, 70 families located in three communities, San Buenaventura, Las Mercedes and Filas Verdes, have benefitted from the project. Sixteen families received new fuel-efficient stoves which not only require less firewood, but diminish cooking time, and channel the smoke out of the house through the use of chimneys. The women say they can't believe how different they feel without the constant smoke in the air.

Most families chose to construct the standard size stove, as shown below next to Jessenia and Ezekial. Their mother Celia Davila Medina is a member of the Fuente de Oro (Fountain of Gold) Co-operative.

Of course, if you're Maria Theresa Mendoza Martinez (shown below with Agueda Ordeñana, Project Coordinator at Tierra Nueva), who proudly cooks delicious organic meals for many of the visitors who come to Filas Verdes… well , you don't want just any fuel-efficient stove… you're going to dream up a large, 3-burner… or you'll pass the whole day in the kitchen just to feed those delegations of Equal Exchange staff, food co-op partners, or Presbyterian friends!

I asked Maria Theresa how she was spending her newly acquired "free" time and she told me that she decided to join the co-operative as a member in her own right. (Previously, only her husband Jacobo Cisneros was a legal member.) In addition, Maria Theresa is participating in a women's leadership development program and has just graduated from the first set of trainings in micro-enterprise development. She's considering running a community nursery where other members can purchase young coffee seedlings – but that idea will be further developed in the second phase of the program.

Speaking of nurseries and coffee seedlings…

Through the "Planting Trees for Life" project, Tierra Nueva established 44 nurseries, in which over 200,000 coffee seedlings were cultivated and distributed to the Tierra Fertil (Fertile Earth) and Fuente de Oro co-op members to help them renovate their farms. Below, on the left, is a coffee nursery. On the right, Marvin Tonico Polanco, Fuente de Oro co-op member, is showing us his beautifully cared for coffee farm complete with new coffee trees.

Marvin's farm was the organic certifiers dream! Rows of live plant barriers (below), dead barriers (logs and brush) and the use of terracing, protect the soil from erosion. You can see how the barriers also help keep a cover of leaves and other materials which decompose adding nutrients to the soil. The coffee is planted in a row below with plenty of shade above.

Shade for your coffee, fruit in your diet, and some extra change in your pocket

The third part of the project enabled co-op members to receive a total of 5,000 citrus trees (oranges, lemons, and mandarins) to provide additional shade for the coffee and fruit for the families' consumption. The fruit is also sold in the local market, providing extra income for the families. Below, Karen Ortiz (Tierra Fertil Co-op) shows off a newly planted lemon tree and one already bearing fruit.

Below, her father Ramón, picks some oranges for us and Agueda offers to carry them back to town.

After a full day visiting two communities and five farms, we headed back to Boaco pleased that the project was such a success and that the participants were enthused and eager to continue the project for a second year.

This year, they would like to construct an additional 22 fuel-efficient stoves, reforest 50 hectares of land with 160,000 more coffee trees, 10,000 shade trees (citrus and timber), and 10,000 cacao trees to benefit 80 more families in three co-operatives. The project also contemplates the construction of 30 worm composting tanks to expedite the process of organic fertilizer production for their farms.

Maria Theresa's son, Jacobo Jr., asked us if we'd like a sneak preview:

Well, we're convinced. The sustainable farming practices of small-scale coffee growers is certainly conserving our fragile natural resources and protecting local eco-systems. We see the proof on every visit. And if the farmers are protecting our environment, and providing us with delicious high quality, organic coffee at the same time, it seems like the least we can do is consume consciously and support their efforts. Wouldn't you agree?

For more information about other ways to support small scale farmers, our food system, and the planet, visit our blog at www.SmallFarmersBigChange.coop.

Remember that as part of our campaign in support of Small Farmers, Equal Exchange is donating 20 cents/package for every 12 oz. package of Organic Love Buzz purchased, into our Small Farmer Green Planet Fund. The Fund supports projects in Nicaragua, Mexico, Colombia and South Africa.

Donations are also welcome! You can write a tax-deductible check to Grassroots International and send it to Equal Exchange, 50 United Drive, West Bridgewater, MA 02379 (Be sure to write SFGP Fund on the check) or make a credit card donation by clicking the SFGP logo on the sidebar of the blog.

Even with the progress represented by the chocolate industry's plan, however, it will nevertheless take years for chocolate products to be "slave-free." Is there any way for chocolate consumers to know today that they are not consuming products made with child slavery?

A 2001 inquiry into the cocoa sources used by 200 major chocolate manufacturers found significant differences between companies.

The $13 billion U.S. chocolate industry is heavily dominated by just two firms - Hershey's and M&M Mars - who control two-thirds of the market. Unfortunately, both of these companies fall into the category of those companies who use large amounts of Ivory Coast cocoa, and whose products are almost certainly produced in part by slavery.

Hershey Foods Corp., the nation's largest chocolate-maker, says it is "shocked" and "deeply concerned" that its products, such as Hershey's Kisses, Nuggets, Hershey chocolate bars and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, may be made with cocoa produced by child slaves. The company, which has a long history of involvement with children, says it is deeply embarrassed by revelations of indirect involvement with child slavery. (Hershey Foods, which has a market capitalization on Wall Street of $8.4 billion, is affiliated with a school for orphaned and disadvantaged children, established in 1909 by company founder Milton S. Hershey and his wife Catherine.)

M&M Mars and Hershey Foods Corp. are not alone. Other companies whose chocolate is almost certainly tainted with child slavery include: ADM Cocoa, Ben & Jerry's, Cadbury Ltd., Chocolates by Bernard Callebaut, Fowler's Chocolate, Godiva, Guittard Chocolate Company, Kraft, Nestle, See's Candies, The Chocolate Vault, and Toblerone. While most of these companies have issued condemnations of slavery, and expressed a great deal of moral outrage that it exists in the industry, they each have acknowledged that they use Ivory Coast cocoa and so have no grounds to ensure consumers that their products are slavery-free.

Companies like Mars, Hershey, and Nestle often say that there is no way they can control the labor practices of their suppliers. But there are other chocolate companies who manage to do so, and it would seem that if the bigger companies really wanted to reform problems in the supply chain, they have the power and ability to do so.

There are in fact many chocolate companies who only use cocoa that has definitively not been produced with slave labor. These companies include Clif Bar, Cloud Nine, Dagoba Organic Chocolate, Denman Island Chocolate, Gardners Candies, Green and Black's, Kailua Candy Company, Koppers Chocolate, L.A. Burdick Chocolates, Montezuma's Chocolates, Newman's Own Organics, Omanhene Cocoa Bean Company, Rapunzel Pure Organics, and The Endangered Species Chocolate Company.

At present, no organic cocoa beans are coming from Ivory Coast, so organic chocolate is unlikely to be tainted by slavery. Newman's Own Organics is one of the largest of the slavery-free companies. The company's chocolate is purchased through the Organic Commodity Project in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It comes from Costa Rica where the farms are closely monitored.

Some companies go further and buy only Fair Trade chocolate. In the early 1990s, Rapunzel initiated a "Hand in Hand" program called Eco-Trade - Fair Trade and Ecology. Strict guidelines and commitments must be maintained by all Rapunzel's partners in buying, selling, trading, growing and processing commodities in developing countries. Guaranteed fair pricing, long term trade relationships, living wages, and no child labor are just a few of the criteria. The company's cocoa comes from cooperatives in Bolivia and the Dominican Republic. Rapunzel's program is one of the most effective means of positive change for the lives of farmers and their families worldwide. The company's donations have built a school in the Dominican Republic, an orphanage in Brazil, and provided major support for organic farmers in Bolivia.

Similarly, Cloud Nine has organized 150 grower families into a certified organic cooperative, and has committed to purchasing cocoa from them year-round at over-market organic prices.

Likewise, The Endangered Species Chocolate company only purchases cocoa through the Fair Trade Initiative. In supporting smaller farm co-operatives, the company says "we encourage the indigenous people to harvest what is naturally grown in the area rather than clear-cutting the rainforest to make way for more destructive uses of land."

According to Frederick Schilling of the Dagoba Organic Chocolate company, "By being paid a premium price, these farming communities can and are developing their communities by their own means and terms; often times building schools for their children."

As well as providing Fair Trade wine to the US, Etica also gives back to the communities they work with and offsets their importing impact! Tiffany, the owner and founder is dedicated to the Fair Trade cause and through her interview with Co-op America states that more should be done in the wine industry to protect wokers, even here in the US.

So if you are looking for a relaxing glass of wine or night on the town, check out Etica for their Fair Trade wines. One last thing, they also have a blog: Drink Like You Give A Damn where they discuss fair trade issues as well as politics and events. We can't wait to get our hands on our first glass of fair trade wine!!! We suggest you get some too!

I used my free rental to finally watch Black Gold, a movie I had been wanting to see for a long time, but which isn't exactly mainstream.  It's a documentary about the coffee industry, specifically the sad plight of coffee farmers.  It's a reinforcement of why fair trade principles are so important, and why we need to think about the ethical dimensions of all our food, not just coffee.

Of course you are welcome at the roastery anytime to watch my "From Tree to Cup" DVD...

http://www.greenroasting.com

WWJD (What Would Jim Drink tonight)?:  I had a Classic Italian Espresso after pretty Italian dinner of farmers' market frittata.

Just as I type this, my words and experience serve as evidence of the creative spin and intoxicating euphoria granted by this month's feature recipe, a classic combination of chocolate and coffee with a Fair Trade angle.

What you'll need:

• Fair Trade Bean Bark from Koinonia and Café Campesino
• Your favorite Fair Trade Café Campesino Coffee, brewed
• A saucer or small dish

The Method:

It's quite simple. Place a chunk of your bean bark on the saucer. Take a bite. Next, enjoy a sip of coffee. Indulge as the chocolate dissolves and finds its way over the right taste buds. Continue to alternate the two as needed. The result will be a rush of clean flavors, a tantalizing finish, and a lingering caffeine buzz created by a marriage of Fair Trade products that will differ greatly from that of coffee alone.

I strongly recommend having a steady supply of bean bark on hand at all times throughout autumn!

Here is another take on Bean Bark for those of you who prefer white chocolate:

This recipe serves approximately 10 people...

Change to: Servings US Metric

Check this out.

It is a site that allows you to make small loans directly to small businesses in parts of the world where, credit crunch or not, people would not get the money elsewhere.

My friend Pauline suggested that our group get involved.

This is a message that I was asked to send on to others- I would not send this via e-mail, but will post it here

Hi!

I just made a loan to someone in the developing world using a revolutionary new website called Kiva (www.kiva.org).

You can go to Kiva's website and lend to someone in the developing world who needs a loan for their business - like raising goats, selling vegetables at market or making bricks. Each loan has a picture of the entrepreneur, a description of their business and how they plan to use the loan so you know exactly how your money is being spent - and you get updates letting you know how the entrepreneur is going.

The best part is, when the entrepreneur pays back their loan you get your money back - and Kiva's loans are managed by microfinance institutions on the ground who have a lot of experience doing this, so you can trust that your money is being handled responsibly.

I just made a loan to an entrepreneur named Leonia Benitez in Dominican Republic. They still need another $400.00 to complete their loan request of $3,150.00 (you can loan as little as $25.00!). Help me get this entrepreneur off the ground by clicking on the link below to make a loan to Leonia Benitez too:

http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=66911

It's finally easy to actually do something about poverty - using Kiva I know exactly who my money is loaned to and what they're using it for. And most of all, I know that I'm helping them build a
sustainable business that will provide income to feed, clothe, house and educate their family long after my loan is paid back.

Join me in changing the world - one loan at a time.

Thanks!

What others are saying about www.Kiva.org:

'Revolutionising how donors and lenders in the US are connecting with small entrepreneurs in developing countries.'
-- BBC

'If you've got 25 bucks, a PC and a PayPal account, you've now got the wherewithal to be an international financier.'
-- CNN Money

'Smaller investors can make loans of as little as $25 to specific individual entrepreneurs through a service launched last fall by Kiva.org.'
-- The Wall Street Journal

'An inexpensive feel-good investment opportunity...All loaned funds go directly to the applicants, and most loans are repaid in full.'
-- Entrepreneur Magazine

At present Unpackaged can offer certified organic products, fair trade where possible and products which are definately not airfreighted. 

They live by three simple words reduce, reuse and recycle.

This organisation shows us just how easy it is to make a difference...

Reduce your impact on the environment and minimise your contribution to landfill by getting unpackaged, saving money, and reducing waste and pollution. 

Get down to Unpackaged and pick up anything from organic beer to porridge oats...

Unfortunately, when visiting our co-operative partners, regardless of which country we're in, landscapes like the one below are becoming all too common. Here's a familiar scene from our trip last week to Nicaragua:

But, there's also a lot being done in farming communities to protect and restore the environment that keeps us hopeful.

Here's a photo of Marvin Tonico's farm in the community of Filas Verdes. He is a member of Fuente de Oro (Fountain of Gold), one of eight organic coffee co-operatives that are affiliated through the Tierra Nueva (New Land) Union of Cooperatives located in Boaco and Matagalpa.

You can see the row of coffee in the background, the different species of shade trees above. In the foreground are the "live barriers", rows of plants used to prevent soil erosion.

Here's another photo of young coffee bushes planted under the shade canopy:

In the next few days, we'll give you an update on the "Planting Trees for Life" project we're supporting at the Tierra Nueva Union of Co-operatives.  We'll also post more photos and tell you some of the highlights of our visit to PROCOCER and Tierra Nueva where

we did some work….

Guillermo Castro, Tierra Nueva Union of Co-operatives and Phyllis Robinson

visited some old friends…

Dana Welch and Maria Theresa Mendoza Martinez, Fuente de Oro Co-operative

saw a lot of coffee ripening on the trees…

… and had a few adventures.

But more on all that later.

But October has a lot more going for it in other arenas of life. Most of us know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Numerous 'Pink' campaigns are out in full force bringing our attention to this debilitating disease. But there are so many other celebrations going on in October that hardly anyone knows about.

Did you know that October is Adopt A Shelter Dog Month? Go Wild- Eat Country Ham Month? National Popcorn Poppin' Month? Sarcastic Awareness Month?

It's also Celebrate SunDried Tomato Month, Eat Better Eat Together Month, National Bake and Decorate Month, National Caramel Month, National Chili Month, National Down Syndrome Month, National Seafood Month, National Raptor Month, National Right Brainers Rule! Month, National Spinach Lovers Month, National Squirrel Awareness Month and National Vegetarian Month, among many many other oddball and interesting topics covered. Don't believe me?? Then check out this definitive source and see for yourself.

It's also National Fair Trade Month.

Fair trade certified products include coffee, tea, chocolate, fruit, rice, sugar, herbs, spices, and sometimes flowers. The label indicates that a fair price is paid for the products and fair wages are paid to the workers producing the item, with added investments in the communities where the products are grown. It also means that the farmers under the Fair Trade label use sustainable farming practices like composting, terracing and reforestation. Non-chemical alternatives to pesticides are used also, with less harm to workers and the soil. Fair Trade products in the USA generated nearly a billion dollars in 2007, with an additional $100 million in revenue to farmers and workers in rural communities. The income generated by purchases in the USA that's gone directly back to farmers has risen by 116% since 2005. In the push to have more say in where you're foods come from and who produces them for you, by looking for this label your dollars help millions of farmers make a livable wage, which translates to a far better quality of life.

October is also National Cranberry Month. Whew, this beautiful Fall month sure has plenty of accolades, doesn't it? Cranberries are loaded with fiber, Vitamin C,  and iron, and benefit your health in a multitude of ways. The fresh berry provides the highest level of antioxidants, but dried fruit and juice can also provide a  needed nutritional boost. Fresh berries can store for up to four weeks in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator, and can be held frozen for up to six months, so when you see the bags of fresh berries in the grocers, buy a bunch of them and stick them on ice.

Then get them out periodically and make this relish, and not just at Thanksgiving.

Kate's Sister Kris' Cranberry Relish

1 bag frozen cranberries
1 c. dried cherries
2 c. water
1/2 c. sugar

Place all ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer until berries 'pop', mashing if desired. Allow to cool. This is delicious over ice cream, apple pie, in yogurt or as a relish with pork and turkey.

Additions to this can be frozen strawberries instead of the cherries, golden raisins, orange peel and juice, currants, apricots or any other idea your brilliant culinary mind can conjure up. Bottom line?? Just eat it.

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Taller Flora - Design - British Council - Arts

“While the sporting goods industry made a commitment to stop child labor in their supply chains when the problem was first identified in Sialkot, Pakistan in 1997, this report shows that bonded child labor continues in the industry and has shifted to India,” said Trina Tocco, Campaigns Coordinator at the International Labor Rights Forum.

via Modern Day Slavery In Soccer Ball Production In india.

This practice was exposed in the 1990's, but it appears that initiatives to combat these practices are not working. View a photo gallery showing child labor in soccer ball production. The photos appear to be from July, 2007.

View a detailed PDF report from the BBA in India.

A string of financial problems within the US and world economy, triggered by a US housing crisis, have arisen in 2008. The question becomes how may these global problems manifest themselves within the Fair Trade world?  When it seems that sales are solid - and many fair trade businesses are continuing to outshine the others on Main Street - why should we be concerned?

As the credit crunch lurches towards a full blown crisis, we need to ask ourselves if this credit will be available in 2009 and, if not, how we can continue to function and maintain our values as Fair Traders? It is very likely that credit will be much harder to find and that even existing lines of credit may be withdrawn.  How will this situation affect Fair Trade?

Below, the Federation has put together some thinking on the possible credit crisis with advice for wholesalers, producers, and retailers. Conversation, discussion, advice, information sharing, and other types of involvement are encouraged.

Members can download this document at:
 
www.fairtradefederation.org/ht/a/GetDocumentAction/i/7866
A string of financial problems within the US and world economy, triggered by a US housing crisis, have arisen in 2008. The question becomes how may these global problems manifest themselves within the Fair Trade world?  When it seems that sales are solid - and many fair trade businesses are continuing to outshine the others on Main Street - why should we be concerned?

Fair Trade differs from regular trade for many reasons, one of which is the role that wholesalers play in financing production. By providing [low-interest or] interest-free advances and full payment on shipping, buyers are paying months before receipt of the goods.  Most wholesalers borrow these funds and pay the interest charged on this capital.

As the credit crunch lurches towards a full blown crisis, we need to ask ourselves if this credit will be available in 2009 and, if not, how we can continue to function and maintain our values as Fair Traders? It is very likely that credit will be much harder to find and that even existing lines of credit may be withdrawn.  How will this situation affect Fair Trade?

Implications for Wholesalers/ Importers

The most obvious and direct effect will be on wholesalers who, quite simply, may not have access to the funds they need to pre-finance production at the same levels they have in the past.  So how can this possible crunch be managed?

• Planning will be key. Wholesalers will need to place orders strategically, considering production lead times and pre-financing needs. Not every producer is equal. Some are able to work on smaller deposits and produce faster; both of these factors lead to less capital requirements.
• Reducing shipping time by using faster services may not be cost effective in normal times, but, when cash flow is at a premium, it may be worth ordering less, ordering more often, and shipping faster to increase inventory turns and reduce the inventory being held in the warehouse.
• Other strategies that can help wholesalers reduce their requirement for credit include a reduction in inventory levels, reductions in fixed costs, and reduction of accounts receivables.

The irony of this potential situation is that Fair Trade has outperformed regular trade. The wholesalers most likely to find themselves in a difficult situation may be those that have used credit to grow successfully. 

Implications for Producers

These strategies have implications for producers who may see reductions in orders, the size of orders, and the ability of wholesalers to provide finances. Producers may need to be careful in their consideration of orders, taking a deeper interest into the financial security of wholesalers, examining annual reports and asking tougher questions to be sure the wholesaler can settle the accounts when due. 

 True long term partnerships between producers and wholesalers may become a much more valuable currency in Fair Trade. When wholesalers need flexibility on pre-financing from producers, producers need to be concerned about providing generous terms to wholesalers they do not know enough about.

Fair Trade would be seriously damaged if producers feel the pain of the credit crunch through payment defaults. Kevin Ward of Global Crafts says, "I would encourage wholesalers to seek help from within the Fair Trade community in a worst case scenario; and, I would encourage other wholesalers to be open to taking on the commitments of others to safeguard the producer."

Implications for Retailers

Retailers should expect to see :

• Less inventory held by wholesalers,
• More out of stock items, and
• Wholesalers seeking to renegotiate payment terms. 

Retailers can play a crucial role in supporting wholesalers by trying to pay on time, if not early, and offering to pay on credit cards - thus transferring the financing from the wholesaler's accounts to the retailer's bank accounts.

 General Advice

Shobna Dhewant of RSF Social Finance offers this advice for any type of fair trade organization: "For general business preparation and conservation, right now is the time to be conservative and anticipate possibly slower sales cycles and a possibly lower spending holiday season.

Businesses should: 

• Secure their contracts with suppliers before placing orders for production.
• Work only with reliable producers with previous history and experience.
• Hold off on expansion of number of stores or large scale rollouts of products until 2009.
• Do not use personal assets, such as home lines of credit, to expand business operations. Either scale down or look to angel investors or partners for capital financing.
• Limit exposure to economically volatile regions and have additional sources of products to cover any missed product shipments.
• Stay positive, as with any business cycles, what goes down will surely rise again."

The Future

Fair Trade's long term future remains strong. In the event of a serious tightening of credit, we must all work together, producer, wholesaler and retailer, to understand the pressures each of us face, maintain strong sales, and keep the flow of capital moving from consumer to producer, in the most fluid way possible.

With a wide range of affordable, fair trade gifts, Only Fair are here to help you find the ideal gift. All of our items are fairly traded or hold the FAIRTRADE Mark, meaning you can grab a bargain whilst knowing it wasn't produced in a sweat shop. Not only that but with out easy to use order process, quick delivery and a flat shipping rate of £2.95, we aim to make your shopping experience a stress free and pleasant experience, without the baying crowds of shoppers.

If you need some gift inspiration, here's our top ten gifts for under £10:-

1. Children will love this adorable Cat Rucksack. Made from 100% cotton and at £9.49.

2. Candles are great in winter. Pop a tealight in this chunky People Soapstone Tealight Holder at £7.49.

3. This fair trade Travel Journal is the ideal gift for someone who likes to record their thoughts at £7.99.

4. Ceramic Piggy Bank - an old fashioned favourite with a fair trade twist, at £9.95.

5. This bright and fun Rooster Shopping Bag is ideal to brighten up dull shopping trips. £8.95.

6. Know someone who thinks they're an entertainer? See how they cope with these crochet juggling balls at £8.85.

7. Add a touch of sparkle with this pretty Metal Beaded Cuff at £4.95.

8. This Sheesham Wood Star Puzzle is not only beautifully crafted but is a great brain teaser! £6.49.

9. Share your wisdom with our engraved Soapstone Pebbles - an ideal stocking filler at £1.30.

10. Still not sure what to buy or just looking for a stocking filler? Play it safe with Divine Milk Chocolate. £1.29 for a 100g bar, free from artificial flavourings, colourings and preservatives.

This range of hand-crafted tableware is stainless steel with handle designs in pewter, copper and brass. The range is ethically and fairly traded and is available in several matching designs.

Spade servers are £15.50 each http://www.kendrickimports.com/index.php/worx-of-africa/hot-metal-tableware/spade-servers

[caption id="attachment_126" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Ethnic spoon"][/caption]

cake lifters also £15.50 each http://www.kendrickimports.com/index.php/worx-of-africa/hot-metal-tableware/cake-lifter

[caption id="attachment_127" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Elephant cake lifter"][/caption]

salad servers £24 per pair http://www.kendrickimports.com/index.php/worx-of-africa/hot-metal-tableware/salad-servers

[caption id="attachment_128" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Square design salad servers"][/caption]

sugar spoons £9.75 http://www.kendrickimports.com/index.php/worx-of-africa/hot-metal-tableware/sugar-spoon

[caption id="attachment_129" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Snake design sugar spoon"][/caption]

butter knife £9.75 http://www.kendrickimports.com/index.php/worx-of-africa/hot-metal-tableware/butter-knife

[caption id="attachment_130" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Swirl design butter knife spreader"][/caption]

and to complete the set pickle forks are £10.40 http://www.kendrickimports.com/index.php/worx-of-africa/hot-metal-tableware/pickle-fork

[caption id="attachment_131" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Diamond design pickle fork"][/caption]

Make great presents and add a touch of class to any table! All of the Hot Metal tableware products are fairly and ethically traded and are synonymous with the Kendrick Import ethos of ensuring our artisans and workers in Africa receive fair pay for their work, have a healthy, clean and comfortable working environment and that we provide new markets for them to sell their wares.

To view the Kendrick Imports ethos please click here

]]> http://greenselipar.wordpress.com/?p=51 Sun, 05 Oct 2008 02:10:00 +0000 greenselipar http://greenselipar.com/2008/10/05/gerai-oa-indigenous-people%e2%80%99s-stall/

 

[caption id="attachment_53" align="alignleft" width="63" caption="Gerai OA stall at Museum Negara"][/caption]

Who are they and what they do

Reita Faida Rahim, started Gerai OA in October 2004. She is currently the leader of the volunteer group but she prefers to be considered the coordinator.

Gerai OA defines itself as a “nomadic volunteer-run stall which sells handicraft made by Orang Asal, the indigenous minorities of Malaysia”. They are not a business, not an NGO; just a volunteer group.

Their main objective is to preserve the indigenous minorities'craft heritage by helping them to find and develop a sustainable market for their crafts. They only facilitate the sale of the craft and encourage the indigenous communities to develop their own businesses.

Gerai OA conducts research, lectures, craft workshops and training sessions throughout Malaysia to document, revive and revitalise the indigenous craft heritage of Malaysia. They also sell books and booklets related to indigenous peoples & issues.

What a traveller can experience

You can discover, appreciate and buy craft from various Malaysian minorities including:

Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia (Mah Meri, Semai, Semelai, Jakun Temiar and Temuan.); Orang Ulu of Sarawak (Borneo) (Bidayuh, Penan, Kenyah); Anak Negeri of Sabah (Borneo), (Rungus, Bajau and Dusun).

Gerai OA emphasizes functional products and sustainable resources. Among their wide choice of handicraft, you will surely find a light and unique souvenir truly and fairly made in Malaysia: natural jewellery made of seeds or rattan, delicate and useful baskets, boxes, pouches, made from pandanus leaves, You can even buy a mat for your afternoon nap.

Each product comes with a label that provides information about the material used, the craftperson’s name and the traditional use of the item. Gerai OA returns 100% of the stated price to the craftsperson named on the label.

Craft can be bought either at one of Gerai OA stalls, at the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) shop in Kuala Lumpur, or directly from to the local communities (ask Reita for the contacts).

You can buy their books at the MNS shop and online at www.coac.org.my

You can volunteer:  Gerai OA is always looking for more volunteers to manage the stall, pick up craft from villages, cut tags, etc. If you are interested in helping out, do let them know by dropping them an email at szening@gmail.com with the subject, 'Put me on the volunteer spam list!'.

Contacts

• Sze Ning to stay in touch and be informed about when and where the Gerai OA stall will be. Email : szening@gmail.com            HP (+60) 12 606 1592   
• Reita Faida Rahim, Gerai OA coordinator for general information, research and lectures.    Email reitafaidarahim@yahoo.com.my or geraioa@gmail.com HP (+60) 19 751 8686

To go further we recommend

The Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC) website provides information and commentary on the Orang Asli, http://www.coac.org.my.

Written by C.Bossis, Kuala Lumpur, 9 sept 08.

Permission granted to reproduce for personal use only. Commercial use is prohibited.