There is a company called Fair Winds Trading, which I found out about as I was sitting at the Starbucks one morning reading my paper and having my morning coffee. There was a stand right in front of the cash register and it had a bunch of tumblers on display. The tumblers had unique textile inserts of African patterns made by African artisans in Africa. It was clearly stated on the brochures on the stand that the profits made from the sale of each tumbler went, in percentage, right back to that same set of artisans that had manufactured the cloth.
They were unique and it was an interesting way of introducing a characteristic artisan good from a faraway land to a richer American market.
I think that, at the very least, this should be taken into consideration as a case study, and, perhaps, there should be a dialogue with Fair Winds trading with regards to establishing relationships with Guatemalan manufacturers.
I think they currently work only with North African artisans.
Here is an excerp from their website...
"Fairwinds Trading is a for-profit company that uses business as a strategy for economic empowerment of people, especially women, in the Majority World. The Majority World is where two billion of the world’s three billion people live, in poverty. Our focus on women as a preferred partner is based in part on our history, in part on our leadership as a woman-owned firm, and in part on evidence that raising the standard of living for women has the greatest positive multiplier effect within families, communities and cultures.
The company’s philosophy and business model embody a new paradigm for global economic empowerment. They recognize that compassionate aid, needed in moments of crisis, becomes culturally destructive if continued too long. They demonstrate that cross-cultural business partnerships, rooted in mutual learning and growth, can bring sustainable economic power to women around the world.
Our mission is to connect cultures through business, art and understanding."
The company’s philosophy and business model embody a new paradigm for global economic empowerment. They recognize that compassionate aid, needed in moments of crisis, becomes culturally destructive if continued too long. They demonstrate that cross-cultural business partnerships, rooted in mutual learning and growth, can bring sustainable economic power to women around the world.
Our mission is to connect cultures through business, art and understanding."
Here is the link and here are a couple of photographs...
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