Challenges of Certification for Fair Trade Crafts

Many of you know I’m pretty adamant about fair trade and what it is supposed to mean. It’s supposed to mean you’re 100% committed to fair trade and that includes paying artisans a fair wage, ensuring there is never any child or sweatshop labor, safe working conditions, being kind to the Earth’s resources and establishing long-term relationships with your artisans. It does not mean compromising your values to fit your needs or the bottom line at the expense of others.

Fair World Project‘s Executive Director, Dana Geffner, asked me how I felt about obtaining certification for crafts-based products (as opposed to commodities) since, in the United States anyway, my company cannot be “certified” in the same way a coffee or chocolate brand could be since my products are jewelry and not a commodity. This is tough because I can see what is happening with the fair trade movement and commodities and it’s not a pretty picture. The challenges for certification are plenty but how wonderfully utopian if we could achieve that status?

The result of Dana’s questions is part of the Spring issue of Fair World Project‘s issue. You can get a sneak peak of the article with this blog post. The full issue will be live online in a few weeks.

In the meantime, I’m proud to say World Shoppe Fair Trade is a member of the Fair Trade Federation (which has very strict guidelines and criteria for acceptance) as well as Green America and Chicago Fair Trade.

I know in my heart what we’re doing is what we can. But, man, how awesome would it be if we could have one set of ground rules that made sense for everyone?

Fair Trade Weddings ~ Celebrations at their best

Today the Fair Trade Federation unveiled its Fair Trade Wedding Guide and it’s absolutely gorgeous. Whether you’re a bridal couple, bridesmaids, groomsmen, mother of the bride or guests of the event, there really is something in this guide for everyone. Need a fair trade wedding gift idea? Check. Need a fair trade greeting card to give to a new couple? Check. Need some fair trade bridesmaid dresses or fair trade ties? Check and Check.

The Fair Trade Wedding Guide also has a listing of retailers that offer wedding registries which is convenient for those couples who are choosing to start their life together in a fair trade way and engage their guests as well.

We’re honored and thrilled that one of our wedding cards from South Africa made it in the guide (page 5 and shown here) as well as our Intertwined Rings (page 7) which many retailers have told us have been sold to many a bridal couple over the last year that we’ve introduced the ring design. Truly, it’s a wonderful design whether or not one plans to use it as a wedding band as the copper and brass intertwined design makes it both classic and elegant.

What’s really exciting about the guide is that it shows how seamless and easy it is to have a fair trade wedding. The cover of the guide shows a bride with her beautiful bridesmaids wearing Mata Traders’ dresses. Now that’s a dress you know the women will be wearing long after the wedding day celebration is over.

What are you best fair trade wedding guide recommendations? Would love to hear your thoughts!

 

 

Global Press Institute Trains Women in Developing Countries to Report News

Journalism provides a gateway to information. Information is the first step toward freedom. That’s probably one of the reasons I’ve been drawn to journalism since I was in high school and why I enjoy writing and sharing stories.

But for many women and children around the world, those journalists and reporters help amplify their to the rest of the world – stories we’d never hear of otherwise. Which is why I have a love affair with international reporters and foreign correspondents.

I recently learned about the Global Press Institute of Chicago, a non-profit media organization that trains and employs women across the developing world to be ethical, investigative journalists. How cool is that?

It all started when Cristi Hegranes, who worked as a foreign correspondent in Nepal in 2004, realized she was the wrong person to be reporting the news. So she decided to give the power of writing and sharing those stories to women on the ground.

Since 2006, GPI has trained 117 women across 24 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe, who now publish news features via GPI’s online Newswire and on 35 syndication partners worldwide.  In all, more than 5 million people have access to GPI’s news coverage each month. Wow.

GPI reporters cover social justice and development issues including HIV/AIDS, climate change, gender justice, economic development and the arts. GPI news raises awareness by increasing access to information in local communities and for global audiences, while simultaneously acting as a catalyst for social change. GPI reporters are paid fair, middle-income wages and are offered opportunities for training, development and professional advancement.

One of the recent blog posts by Rose Odengo, a 27 year old journalist from Nairobi, Kenya, is entitled: I am more determined than ever to tell the world grand stories of Africa.  Why did she want to become a GPI journalist? Because she believes in the power of news and the impact it has to uplift people from their plight. I am excited to read her stories.

On June 7, the organization celebrates its 5th anniversary in Chicago at Pops for Champagne in River North, with support from a range of local organizations and businesses, including the Association of Women’s Journalists in Chicago, of which I’m a member.

I’m trying to work it into my schedule to attend this event but if you’d like to learn more about the event or the organization, click here. And let me know if you plan to attend so I can make sure to say hello!

Giving the power to the people – what a concept.

~Megy

World Shoppe Prepares for Winter Trade Shows

As soon as we began importing our fair trade jewelry and selling to retailers, I booked our first trade show in the Beckman’s

World Shoppe Fair Trade will be exhibiting at The Chicago Market/Beckman's in Booth 8-8099.

section of The Chicago Market, a handmade section of the Chicago Gift trade show. I knew that if we wanted to support our artisans 110% and get their products into more retail outlets, trade shows have to be in our marketing mix since that is where many retailers scout and research products to fill their shelves.

World Shoppe will be debuting at the NYIGF in New York's Newest, Pier 92, Booth 31058.

One year later, and the urging of many fellow fair trade importer friends, we’ve made the leap and added the New York International Gift Fair this winter. My, how big we’ve grown in just one short year…I feel like we’re playing with the big girls now!

Truth is I have a love-hate relationship with trade shows and I’ve been working in the trade show industry now for nearly a decade (on the management side, not as an exhibitor until just last year). I’m more than familiar with how they work, but I will admit I’m a newbie on how to work the shows. The great thing about having worked on the management side, though, is that I’m all too familiar with the marketing components of the show so I’ll have my press kits ready, sending out our pre-marketing direct mail pieces and emails, calling our customers to invite them to see us and see how our lines did for them in 2011. Thankfully my mother, who is a super merchandiser, once again will help me with that piece since I’m pathetic with visual merchandising a 10′ x 10′ booth.

The love part of the relationship comes after the booth is set up and the show officially begins. Then we get to meet with new customers and talk about our artisans, fair trade and our products. We learn more about their shops, their concerns, their hopes and dreams about their own businesses. We see our current customers and hear how they are doing in their shops, see pictures of their children and grandchildren and what they are hoping to see happen in the coming 6-12 months.

Trade shows are about building relationships and that’s the part I really enjoy. I take pictures of my retailers interacting with the products so I can email pictures to my artisans since they seem to enjoy hearing that American retailers and consumers genuinely love their work. And I think it’s important for them to hear feedback from them as well so I try to keep notes so I can share with them what customers are telling me – the good as well on things we can improve.

The “winter gift show circuit” is about to begin for many of us fair trade importers and I’m excited to see how our booth is shaping up especially since we’re adding our new textile handbag line and Little Works greeting cards from South Africa into the mix.

If you’re planning on hitting The Chicago Market / Beckman’s Handmade (Booth 8-8099) or New York International Gift Show (PIER 92, New York’s Newest Booth 31058) in the coming weeks, please do come by and say hello! In Chicago, we’re in the dedicated section for the Fair Trade Federation so you’ll have more than two dozen fair trade companies to see. At Pier 92/New York’s Newest, in addition to World Shoppe, you’ll see our neighbors (literally) Lucia’s Imports (Guatemalan items) and Venture Imports (Kenyan items) as well as Handcrafting Justice in the next aisle over (products from several countries). As our thanks for visiting, we’ll be offering a show special – you just need to ask!

Thank you again for everyone’s help on making our New York debut a successful one. We’ve talked to so many companies that have exhibited in NY before and gleaned wonderful insight and advice!

I can’t wait for that “show time” to begin – and see many of you again as well as make new friends!

In the meantime, if you need to place an order and can’t come to the shows, please call or email me…we’ll be happy to extend the “show special” before the trade show dates end!

With warmest regards,

Megy Karydes, Founder

World Shoppe

http://www.World-Shoppe.com

Launch Party for Pakistan Line of Fair Trade Jewelry

Amna working in her studio in Lahore, Pakistan

Before I even met Amna Shariff, I was drawn to her work. When I had the opportunity to visit Pakistan this summer, more than a few people thought I was crazy to travel to the country voluntarily. But what cemented my decision to go was what I had learned and read about the country’s craft culture. While most of the news we hear revolves around conflict, I saw women trying to keep their culture and handmade techniques alive and working to make their world a better place in which to live.

Birds of Flight Earrings

I asked Amna to send me some of her designs prior to me traveling to Pakistan because from the little I was able to see, I could tell there was something there. She obliged and I was smitten. This woman’s work was just breathtaking, just as many of the other women’s work I had seen once I arrived in Pakistan. 

Kundan Round Petals Necklace

Her design aesthetic, her patience, her commitment was remarkable and inspiring. But having the opportunity to meet her in person, in her homeland, made our work together that much more special because it not only allows me to put a face with a name, but to see firsthand how she lives, what she’s surrounded by on a daily basis and realize how proud she is to be a Pakistani woman. That just can’t be done just through technology alone.


Within minutes of meeting each other, I knew I was going to work with Amna. We put together a small collection and armed with my samples, I came back to Chicago, eager to show my retailers the designs and share my story with Amna. As I had hoped, they, too, loved the designs and placed orders.


When I learned Amna was able to secure a visa to visit the U.S., I began working feverishly to organize her launch party. Greenheart, one of my largest retailer accounts, offered to host the event in their shop. We secured the date, August 26, and I can’t wait. Chicagoland residents will have the opportunity to meet Amna in person, talk to her about life in Pakistan, her inspiration behind her work, and working with an American woman who will be working tirelessly to promote her work in the U.S. It should make for a fun evening.


If you’re in the Chicagoland area, I hope you’ll join us. Details can be found below. You can also watch Amna and me tomorrow (Saturday, August 21) as we appear live on-air on ABC7 News Chicago (6:15 a.m.).


Thank you for your commitment to fair trade – and hope to see you soon!


August 26
5:00 – 8:00 pm
Greenheart Shop
1911 W. Division Street


-Megy Karydes, Founder
World Shoppe
(to see Amna’s designs, visit our Facebook page – http://www.Facebook.com/worldshoppe)

 

www.World-Shoppe.com featured in Cottage Living!

Check out http://www.world-shoppe.com/ in the last page of Cottage Living’s holiday issue on Gifts that Give Back! Our Pistachio Green Baby Tagine Salt & Pepper Sets make an appearance and as we suspected, they are already selling quickly! We have plenty in stock but if you’ve been eyeing this bold and colorful set for yourself of friends for the holidays, I’d recommend acting sooner than later to place your order!

Also, on the NEW Web site front, I’m thrilled to say that we’re so on target for an early November launch. I seriously can’t wait. One of our categories (Personal Accessories) is being uploaded this week. Our “non-product” pages (such as our About Us, Press Page, FAQ, etc) have all been uploaded and look awesome. We still have to add in some of our images and proofread everything but I have to say, it’s looking really great! Our Web designer is a true rock star. Not only does she understand Web design, but she understands fair trade – which is absolutely wonderful!

In any event, we’ll be sending out our next e-newsletter this week so please be on the lookout for it. We’ve also been having several people forward on the email newsletter to friends and family – feel free to do so! The more supporters we have, the better for our artisan partners!

Thank you again for your amazing support. I hope you’re enjoying this experience as much as I am!

Until next time,

-Megy Karydes, Founder

http://www.world-shoppe.com/