You see it on numerous food labels at the store, a little white sticker that seems to add a little more credibility to the product you may be about to buy. “Fair Trade” and “Fairly Traded” products are becoming all the rage for consumers who can afford to pay the extra dollars and cents. But what exactly are you getting from a “Fair Trade” product that you couldn’t get from a brand such as Folgers or Hershey’s?

I’m a person who doesn’t learn too well from statistics and analytical language, so instead of giving you the academic low down behind fair trade, I’m going to tell you a story.

Eduardo is a coffee farmer from Nicaragua, whose only source of income is from the green coffee beans he produces for Folgers, the coffee company he’s contracted with to receive less than fifty cents for every pound of raw coffee. While Folgers gets to pocket 1 Billion dollars in yearly sales, Eduardo must make do with less than 300 dollars. The way that Folgers cares for the quality of it’s coffee is also noteworthy, with beans that are poorly sorted and mass roasted, then left in storage houses to grow stale before getting shipped off to North American grocery shelves.

Ruben is a farmer in Guatemala, directly contracted with a fair trade certified coffee business that pays him 3 dollars a pound for top quality coffee beans. He is part of a local co-op supported by the company, allowing for him and other farmers to have democratic rule over their farming practices, and gives them resources to promote community development, such as schools and hospitals. The coffee that is finally produced and packaged by this company is sorted with care, making sure that no withered or broken beans taint the aromatic quality of the final product. The beans then get roasted in small batches that are carefully tended to roasted perfection. The end result is a well supported farmer, an empowered community, and one heck of a good cup of coffee.

The flame of Fair Trade is quickly becoming a wild fire in international business, with certification now being extended to a wide variety of products. Though prices and trade procedures vary, the common thread among all Fair Trade businesses is that we desire for farmers and crafts people to have their quality work recognized and paid for what it is. Exploitation does little more than rob workers of motivation and livelihoods. Eduardo and his family deserve more. Nepali crafts people deserve more.

So when you go shopping next, whether in the store or online, be on the look out for that cool little symbol that gives you the promise of purchasing justice along with a high quality product. In my personal opinion, the extra dollars are well worth the economic justice you’re buying for the person behind the product.

My passion for fair trade started even before I knew the term. My desire to obtain just wages for hard workers began when I saw an orange tiger.

During the years I was growing up in China, I would often peruse the market streets for little odds and ends. One particular day I found myself window shopping in the open market, when I stumbled upon an old woman sitting on a little fold out stool. She looked haggard and tired, worn from a life of physical toil. But despite what I imagined her life to have been and currently be, I noticed the items she was proffering to passers by who might just take a quick glance at her craft. They were beautiful, intricately detailed Chinese tigers.

These tigers are a traditional Chinese item, thought to bring good luck and power to a household. Their short stubby bodies were made of bright orange fabric, with artistic touches of floral patterns on the side, bright little button eyes, and carefully threaded faces. Each tiger she offered was magically different in it’s detailing, each one offering a special personality and beauty to the buyer.

Despite the crafted beauty of these little tigers, I’m normally not much of a souvenir person. But as I gazed at this tired, plain looking old woman, sitting on her ragged fold out bench amongst a bright sea of beautiful orange tigers, the friend I was shopping with nudged me. “I just read an article in the newspaper about this woman. Her whole entire family has just abandoned her. She’s been left out in the cold to fend for herself, and these tigers are her only source of income”. I felt an urgent hand tug at my heart, and I kneeled on the ground asking how much the tigers cost. 35 yuan (5 dollars) she said in a quiet raspy voice. I fumbled for the bills, and picked out my very own Chinese tiger.

To this day, that orange tiger sits in my living room, forever reminding me that behind every item you touch, there’s a human being with a life story.

A Vision of Choice

You see a picture, of a girl in tattered clothes, sitting cross-legged on a dusty floor, gazing up at you with large eyes that seem to exude the suffering of her family and people.

When we view such poignant images of humanity, an automatic emotional response often embodies a mix of pity and superiority. We feel sorry for that poor little girl, who seems devoid of any opportunity to live beyond her poverty. Some may even respond to such a picture with a “Ha”, and scratch their heads wondering why it is the third world just never seems to be able to get it together.

But what if I described that girl as powerful. Someone who has the intelligence and motivation to go on to become a doctor or lawyer. Someone who has the resilience to defy the odds of poverty that are stacked against her. It’s often hard to see though isn’t it, when the tattered clothes and impoverished surroundings seem to speak a lot louder than seemingly invisible potential.

As easy as it is to focus on the pitiable aspects of people caught in poverty’s vicious cycle, we have a choice. We can see those people as individuals who lack all productive capacity save for reaping from our good will handouts. Or we can choose to see those people as capable enough to climb educational ladders and executive structures, if they’re just given the opportunities to develop themselves and do so.

Instead of seeing a pitiable little girl with nothing to live for except good will handouts, I hope you’ll take a second look, and realize, that such a girl is powerful. She just needs to be given opportunities to develop her intellect and capabilities.

If you want to learn more about how you can play a part in empowering impoverished individuals, you can leave a comment in the space below.

Hi everyone, my name is Monica Lackman, and I’m the new Communications and Marketing Coordinator for Royal Bhaktapur’s U.S. venture. I’ve been mandated with the creative maintenance of this blog, and thus, over the next few months, you’ll hopefully be following along with the topics I hope to cover regarding Royal Bhaktapur as a fair trade oriented business, and as an advocate for poverty alleviation and economic justice.

Royal Bhaktapur was created not for the sake of making personal profit, but  for the sake of giving skilled craftspeople in Nepal an economic outlet through which to generate much needed income. You’ll hear hot topics these days about how we need to “fight against poverty”, and “promote global justice”, but what do such inspiring but ambiguous statements actually mean?

To an Economist, alleviating poverty means maximizing a country’s GDP and export potential. To an Education specialist, helping people out of poverty means providing them with quality schooling. Poverty is a nebulous issue, with numerous factors fueling it’s perpetuation throughout the world. The complications involved with Poverty’s existence make trying to find a “solution” that much more difficult and intangible.

Business is coming to play an increasingly prominent role in how people approach poverty. The Fair Trade movement focuses on working to facilitate locally based ways to provide financial freedom, through methods like business generation, vocational training and micro-enterprise.

Poverty is an issue that will be ever present on earth as long as there are imperfect humans who populate it. However, poverty alleviation can become a very realistic achievement if it is thought of in small ways through one community, one family and one person at a time.

Through the business empowering movements that promote concepts such as “Business as Mission” and “Fair Trade”, alleviating poverty around the world is becoming increasingly feasible. When people are provided with the tools needed to generate independent sources of income, business becomes a fantastic catalyst that affects numerous other threads in the fabric of our global community.

Nowadays many people are wearing the so called Pashmina scarves or shawls. Even in as many shops, racks are full with these scarves. But how do you recognize a real Pashmina? What makes a real Pashmina so special? Read the article below and convince yourself buying a Pashmina scarf.

Pashmina or Cashmere wool is originated in the Himalayas in Asia. The mountain goats living here on altitude of 12,000ft-17,000ft produce these fine wool fibers. Depending on the altitude the goats will produce Cashmere or Pashmina wool. On the higher altitudes the finest the wool is being found. The best quality wool is taken from the belly of the goat. Fine wool insulates better than thick wool. You can compare this wearing several layers of clothing instead of one piece of heavy clothing.

The Cashmere and Pashmina wool from the Himalayas have since centuries found its way to customers, appreciating good quality of the finest woolen scarves as well as sweaters. For this high quality product a prize has to be paid.

Naturally a successful product is being copied. Pashmina scarves are usually found with their little tassels marking the finishing of the scarf. As for these tassels the product name for scarves `Pashmina` was chosen. Pashmina scarves were introduced to a wider public. Instead of these beautiful woolen and silk scarves the material was at first replaced by a lower quality wool and thereafter by cotton, viscose and even polyester.
So, if you want to wear a `Pashmina` scarf, there will be plenty of choice. These scarves are available in a variety of colors and materials. Usually the quality and its prize tell enough. One cannot expect a quality scarf for as less as € 10,00.

One has to take a real close look at a first class woolen Pashmina scarf.
It’s the quality of wool that makes the difference. A Pashmina woolen product is feather light, made from 100% Pashmina wool. Other Pashmina scarves are mixed with natural silk in order to obtain a shiny surface. These scarves are labeled as 70-30 Pashmina, rating the amount of 70% wool and 30% silk. These scarves are shinier, more over, adding silk increases its strength.

Some figures to illustrate this. A 100% pure woolen Pashmina scarf of 200 cm x 70 cm weighs about 200 grams. Furthermore a small Water Pashmina scarf of 150 cm x 30 cm weighs only 50 grams. You might forget wearing a scarf like this, as the weight is so little.
The quality is determined by the number of threads, the use of silk and natural dyeing colors.
Royal Bhaktapur delivers only first quality products. Our scarves are manufactured by small entrepreneurs only. We do not only select on handmade products, natural dyeing colors for the making of scarves, but take in consideration the working circumstances of the workers as well. We do not make use of child labor. This is being checked by us personally. Our motto is: a good product for a fair prize.

What you should take in mind when buying a real woolen Pashmina:
• Pashmina wool or Cashmere wool;
• The finest wool is Pashmina. The wool of three goats is needed to weave one scarf;
• A pure Pashmina scarf weighs about 200 grams. A same size Water Pashmina scarf 70-30 weights about 250 grams;
• The label on the scarf gives information about the place of manufacturing and consistence;
• Royal Bhaktapur delivers all her scarves with a product certificate. You can be sure you have a good product for a fair prize.

Why choosing for Pashmina scarves:
• A real Pashmina scarf differs from other scarves as for its high standing quality;
• The scarves are very smooth, fine woven and have beautiful natural colors;
• Several types of scarves, Jacquard with woven patterns, Water Pashmina with silk, 100% and 70-30% wool;
• A scarf for many occasions;
• Once you wear a real Pashmina and you do not want anything else.