www.theoneeyedTurtle.com - Fair Trade India - Fair And Responsible Trade


The One Eyed Turtle and the Principles of Fair and Responsible Trade

	Provide fair wages in the local context. What is fair in Peru is not equal to Kenya so each area of the world will differ. Money should also be in the local currency as much as possible and partially up front for the artisans so they can buy their supplies.

	Demand safe, healthy and participatory work places. Many of the groups work in co-operative units which help them survive in times of family hardship. Many of these co-operative units work to better the village life, provide schooling and access to clean water. It takes the artisans out of the sweatshops.

	Offer financial and technical support, not just providing money but perhaps working with the groups in a lending program. It is helpful for the groups to have access to new technology and perhaps better supplies and equipment to do their work.

	Equal employment for all: gender equality, encouraging the participation of physically challenged workers. Many of the artisans are women, who have gained a rank of respect in many underdeveloped areas of the world. They are supporting their families for many reasons, best of all they have gained a higher self-esteem and have put that hopeless situation

	Encourage environmentally friendly practices such as the use of recycled materials and certainly to encourage organizations to use natural resources wisely. Use resourceful means to avoid the plastic that is going to eventually destroy our environment. In some parts of the world replanting trees and better harvesting procedures have really been followed and it is important for us to encourage these practices.

	The One Eyed Turtle will strive to promote fun and useful products made of recycled materials: plastics and natural bark, pods, fibers and grasses that come right from the artisans’ areas of the world. It is important to support the use of organic products as well. My dad, the original turtle, was a visionary in that over forty years ago stated that we were going to “drown” in our garbage and over deodorize the planet.

	If the distributor is not a Fair Trade Federation Member, to study each group and make sure that they understand the principles and be willing to share information with the public.

	Build long-term trade relationships with artisan groups. A single large purchase, although always appreciated, does not promote security and stability of income. If the artisans know their work is showcased on a steady basis, they are able to be more creative positive in their approach.

	It is important for all of us in this market to educate consumers about purchasing fairly and responsibly. Think about whom you help when you buy a product: a family or a large corporation. If a product is really cheap then someone was paid cheaply.

	Hopefully we can promote the preservation of cultural identity. This is a personal commitment for me, as I can buy the other non-ethnic products here. I like the ethnicity and the cultural differences of the different groups. A product from Peru should look Peruvian, a product from Nepal should look Nepalese.