Handmade products benefit

Posted on 24 mar 2008

Crafts development activities are considered to be a part of overall development efforts for a given region, rather than an economic panacea that will provide "instant" alternative employment and income opportunities. Handicrafts can make an important contribution to the development of a local economy based on environmentally and socially sound principles.

Many people permit themselves many simple pleasures as: relaxing in a café sipping on a rich, dark coffee or savoring a bar of bittersweet rich chocolate, or perhaps shopping for an exotic, handcrafted item for their homes. But no one think about the conditions under which those art objects were produced or whether the artisans or workers were paid fairly for their efforts.

"When you mention fair trade, people always think of coffee," says Angela Riether, manager of "Ten Thousand Villages" in Calgary, a boutique that showcases many beautiful handcrafted items from more than 35 countries. There is a "Ten Thousand Villages" store at 371 Richmond Rd. in Ottawa. "But there are many industries where people and especially children are exploited -- sugar and cocoa are a few examples."

"Ten Thousand Villages" premise is to improve the livelihood and well-being of underprivileged people, especially women, by paying a fair price for their products and by ensuring continuity in the trading relationship.

"We provide a vital and fair income for these artisans so that they can support themselves and provide basic needs that we take for granted. Many of the people that we work with are considered untouchable because of their extreme poverty, so fair trade is really about reclaiming their sense of dignity and pride."

"Ten Thousand Villages" is a boutique where artisans are paid one quarter to one third of the retail price and they are paid in advance 50% when the order is placed and the remainder when the shipment leaves the country.

"Because we are a non-profit organization, there is no markup," says Riether. Non-profit means lots of volunteers work at the stores.

"We are like a family," says Riether. "We are all from different backgrounds and different ethnicities, but we have come together for a common cause. It's a real community. I think that it is so cool that the ancestors of these artisans were part of the shepherd culture in Bethlehem when the nativity story was happening."

In our days such boutiques and stores, where are sold beautiful handcrafted wares, have increased. And this is a big benefit for states economy and for maintenance of cultural traditions too. However, the improvement of employment and income generating opportunities based on crafts skills (wood-carving, weaving, pottery, etc.) help to foster the maintenance of traditional knowledge held by the craftspeople themselves.