Fairtrade Cotton Crochet Kippot
Who makes the crochet kippot
Bishopston Trading Company is a member of the World Fair Trade Organisation and they produce Fairtrade cotton products certified by the Fairtrade Foundation. This means that from start to finish, each stage in the production of the kippot is monitored to ensure the producers are receiving a fair price for their goods.
Where the cotton comes from
Agrocel Pure & Fair Cotton Growers’ Association, Gujarat, India is a group of cotton farmers from the arid Rapar area of Kutch who are participating in an organic conversion project established by Agrocel Industries Ltd. Initially, they were an unorganised group of farmers who met informally a few times a year to discuss organic farming issues. With guidance from Agrocel Industries, this loose association was formalised in 2005 into a legal entity with a democratic structure.
Challenges facing the cotton growers
Cotton prices are unstable and in decline thanks to the US and EU dumping cheap, subsidised cotton on world markets. The industry’s high use of chemical pesticides is harming agricultural communities and the environment. Traditional flood irrigation is depleting rivers, lakes and water tables, making water a scarce commodity for many cotton growing communities. The Agrocel farmers are taking a positive approach to tackling the challenges they face as cotton growers. Their partnership with Agrocel Industries is helping them to convert to organic production, protect their environment and access the higher prices afforded by Fairtrade and organic certification.
Who crochets the kippot
In the Godavari Delta, Tamil Nadu, India, a low-lying coastal area in eastern India where the vast Godavari River meets the Bay of Bengal, the people struggle to overcome a variety of natural disasters – cyclones, heavy rains, gales, tidal waves and flooding. The Godavari Delta Women Lace Artisans Co-operative is a women’s producer group. Their specialism is lace making and they are adapting their traditional craft to more modern designs to support the women and children who rely on this cooperative to earn a living. Before the cooperative was formed, the lace makers were at the mercy of unscrupulous middlemen who exported the lace, keeping most of the profits for themselves. The 300 women who are members of the cooperative are very poor, most are illiterate, and they struggle to survive in a male-dominated culture which encourages arranged marriages, dowry abuse, and discourages women from getting an education. Sales of lace items offer hope and a new sense of empowerment for these women.
How does ethical trade helps the lace makers
With the help of Bishopton Trading, women at Godavari have recently been able to buy a computer so they can contact sellers via email instead of having to rely on fax or post. Their next project is to raise funds from their premium to build a shelter for them to work together. Godavari is democratically run and the women benefit from advance payment and long-term relationships with buyers.
Bishopston Trading Company is a member of the World Fair Trade Organisation and they produce Fairtrade cotton products certified by the Fairtrade Foundation. This means that from start to finish, each stage in the production of the kippot is monitored to ensure the producers are receiving a fair price for their goods.
Where the cotton comes from
Agrocel Pure & Fair Cotton Growers’ Association, Gujarat, India is a group of cotton farmers from the arid Rapar area of Kutch who are participating in an organic conversion project established by Agrocel Industries Ltd. Initially, they were an unorganised group of farmers who met informally a few times a year to discuss organic farming issues. With guidance from Agrocel Industries, this loose association was formalised in 2005 into a legal entity with a democratic structure.
Challenges facing the cotton growers
Cotton prices are unstable and in decline thanks to the US and EU dumping cheap, subsidised cotton on world markets. The industry’s high use of chemical pesticides is harming agricultural communities and the environment. Traditional flood irrigation is depleting rivers, lakes and water tables, making water a scarce commodity for many cotton growing communities. The Agrocel farmers are taking a positive approach to tackling the challenges they face as cotton growers. Their partnership with Agrocel Industries is helping them to convert to organic production, protect their environment and access the higher prices afforded by Fairtrade and organic certification.
Who crochets the kippot
In the Godavari Delta, Tamil Nadu, India, a low-lying coastal area in eastern India where the vast Godavari River meets the Bay of Bengal, the people struggle to overcome a variety of natural disasters – cyclones, heavy rains, gales, tidal waves and flooding. The Godavari Delta Women Lace Artisans Co-operative is a women’s producer group. Their specialism is lace making and they are adapting their traditional craft to more modern designs to support the women and children who rely on this cooperative to earn a living. Before the cooperative was formed, the lace makers were at the mercy of unscrupulous middlemen who exported the lace, keeping most of the profits for themselves. The 300 women who are members of the cooperative are very poor, most are illiterate, and they struggle to survive in a male-dominated culture which encourages arranged marriages, dowry abuse, and discourages women from getting an education. Sales of lace items offer hope and a new sense of empowerment for these women.
How does ethical trade helps the lace makers
With the help of Bishopton Trading, women at Godavari have recently been able to buy a computer so they can contact sellers via email instead of having to rely on fax or post. Their next project is to raise funds from their premium to build a shelter for them to work together. Godavari is democratically run and the women benefit from advance payment and long-term relationships with buyers.
