Fair Trade Blog

Toy companies have pushed production offshore to boost profits, but at the cost of children’s safety, according to a new report just released by Public Citizen — a non-profit watchdog group.  Titled Santa’s Sweatshop: Made in D.C. with Bad Trade Policy, the report details the root causes of the current toy safety crisis.

The findings are not in the least surprising in light of the headline-grabbing fact of 120 toy recalls this year, but it is shocking in it’s details.   In blind pursuit of the bottom line, toy manufacturers have shifted production since 1970 until 87 percent of toys sold in the U.S. are now manufactured overseas.  In that time frame, toy company profits have risen by 1,750 percent and CEO salaries have risen to 500 times what remining US toy workers earn.  Toy recalls jumped by 224 percent this year.  

Oversight has been thrown out the window along with concern for safety.  Mattel was caught in one of the largest recalls this fall because it simply was not paying attention to the products it was sourcing in China for it’s multiple lines of toys.  The use of lead paint by Chinese manufacturers resulted in the recall of millions of  Mattel’s toys. 

Neither is the federal government working for more oversight.  ”Congress has outsourced its oversight of trade and safety policy to President Bush and developing nations’ inadequate safety systems, both of which have proved either unwilling or unable to protect kids safety,” said Public Citizen President Joan Claybrook.

Thankfully, there is a modest, but growing alternative to Santa’s sweatshops overseas — Fair Trade.   If you are looking for the latest X-box so that your kids can play video games, we have not come that far yet.  But if you appreciate simple toys that are safe and fairly produced, our shop, and others like it, are a great alternative.  

It’s easier than ever to pass up sweatshop toys in favor of sustainably made goods.  Beyond using the power of your purse, you can help by pushing for trade policies that make all trade more fair and responsible.  

Keeping shopping your good values! 

Kile

One of the great things about Fair Trade is that when you give fairly traded gifts for the holidays, you are really giving twice.   Your friends and family get beautiful handmade gifts from the far corners of the globe and you give to the artisans, workers, and growers with a living wage and sustainable work environment.  

Last week, I mentioned the Arghand soap from Afghanistan that we offer.   Well, it’s a prime example.   Many people have stopped by to pick out beautiful packages of soap to give as gifts.   The stone-shaped pieces of soap, made from local materials including mountain herbs and flowers and local oils from almonds and pomegranates, are a great gift for anybody, but those purchases also sustain men and women in that war-torn country. 

Each piece of soap represents hope for the future as they struggle to overcome decades of war and civil strife.  The people of Afghanistan are in desperate need of alternatives to poppy growing.  Unfortunately, the drug trade has taken center stage once again with record poppy crops under cultivation.  

Your fair trade gifts do have the potential to change the world.   Arghand soap is but a small part of the growing alternative of fairly traded products.  We have jewelry that gives living wages to artisans in Ecuador, furniture from salvaged hardwoods that save trees, coffee that sustains families in Ethiopia — and that’s just a small sample.  

So give fair trade for the holidays and give twice.

Keep shopping your good values! 

Kile

I had been wondering how to get our message out on Wisconsin Public Radio.  WPR listeners are loyal, informed, and socially conscious.   They are the kinds of people we opened to serve.  I stopped wondering last Wednesday when I found out Sarah Chayes figured it out for me. 

Don’t worry, I ‘ll explain.   A customer came in some time ago asking if we carried a certain kind of soap.  She was curious because she had heard about it on NPR.  After a bit of searching, with the tidbits of information she gave me, I found the website for Arghand, a soap making cooperative in Afghanistan. 

Arghand was brought to life by Sarah Chayes, a former NPR reporter who worked extensively in Afghanistan, along with local artisans.  Members of the coop make eight soaps using local ingredients including pomegranate oil and herbs.  Their goal is to develop alternatives to the growing of poppy for the expanding drug trade as well as providing employment in that war-ravaged country. 

We started offering Arghand soap several weeks ago and telling their powerful story to our customers.    Recently, Sarah appeared on “Here on Earth: Radio Without Borders,” a WPR program hosted by Jean Feraca.  Sarah was kind enough to mention our store by name as one of their newest retailers.  The archived program, An American in Afghanistan, is available at the Here On Earth website. 

We were surprised, but very pleased by the publicity.  We have had many inquires about the soap.  We hope we have started a long and beneficial relationship with Arghand.  Stop by the shop or our e-store to check out the story of Arghand and try the soap.  

Keep shopping your good values!

 Kile