faqs
What products are Fair Trade?
Fair Trade is a system of commerce that seeks to create greater equity and partnership in the international trading system by:
- Providing fair wages to the local artisans/workers:
- Supporting safe, healthy and participatory workplaces:
- Supplying financial and technical support to build capacity;
- Promoting environmental sustainability;
- Respecting cultural identity;
- Offering public accountability and transparency;
- Building direct and long-term relationships; and
- Educating consumers.
With so many Fair Trade products, why were these selected?
Of the over 50,000 Fair Trade products now available, we chose these Haitian metal art pieces as their organization is assisting artisans from the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Unemployment in Haiti is estimated to be between 60% to 80% at any given time. These beautiful and fun works of art fit all of the criteria listed above and they are all eco-friendly. We believe these products represent the "Best of Bold Worlds," thus helping us live out our web site's name of being REALLY EARTH FRIENDLY!
Who are the artisans that are supported through the sale of these products?
Founded in 1990 by a multinational group of young entrepreneurs, Caribbean Crafts promotes employment in Haiti by training unskilled - but often highly artistically gifted - craftspeople. They also assist the artisans to introduce new lines and get them access to new markets (including this one).
Caribbean Crafts has had to overcome hard times over the years, including a three-year embargo of all Haitian exports. Its premises were ransacked and then totally destroyed by gang violence in 1997. Since then it has relocated to a higher-security park and now employs over 400 artisans, either as salaried employees or outside contractors, with roughly equal numbers of men and women.BEAN CRAFTS