How do the producers benefit from being in a fair trade relationship?
Paying fair wages in each local context is obviously an important issue, but actually Fair Trade provides many benefits that move beyond just fair wages. For example: Long term relationships. This is a very big piece for artisans: continuous work. Artisans need consistent employment as customers see that they can make fair trade purchases part of their normal spending habits. Sadly, some of our producers have to lay people off after the peak of holiday orders subsides. Sometimes, producers would rather earn lower wages but earn on a regular basis, than to higher but irregular and unreliable wages. Our producer groups, and the ordering pattern of Trade as One, attempts to provide steady, sustained work through the year. Fair Trade requires a lot of planning and understanding of the challenges facing poor producer groups, and a willingness to work with them to establish supply chains and to seek to understand and embrace their challenges. Design & quality. Many artisans group cannot succ
