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This Earth Day, we decided to mark the occasion by discussing all things fair trade with one of the brands we collaborate with most often – Just Trade. For nearly 20 years Just Trade have worked with women all over the world to create beautiful, sustainable and ethically made jewellery.
Just Trade was created in 2006 to provide a route to market for products made by a fledgling jewellery project in Lima (Hope Jewellery). The raison d’etre of the project was to provide fairly paid, meaningful, part-time work for women in marginalised communities that they could fit around family life.
That was nearly 19 years ago, and we are still working with Hope Jewellery today. They now employ more than 40 women on the same basis and are planning to train more this year to keep up with demand. Our motivation has remained the same as we have expanded to work with artisan makers in Ecuador, India, Indonesia and Vietnam. We have built our business around the interests of the people who make our products and are proud to operate in accordance with the 10 Principles of Fair Trade.
The Ten Principles of Fair Trade were established by the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) when it was created in 1989. The principles specify the ways that Fair Trade Enterprises should be set up and behave to ensure they put people and the planet first. They include points such as payment of a fair price, ensuring no child labour is present in the supply chain, climate action and protection of the environment.
We became guaranteed members of the WFTO a year ago after a rigorous verification process.
Opportunities for Economically Marginalised Producers
Transparency and Accountability
Fair Trade Practices
Fair Payment
No Child Labour No Forced Labour
No Discrimination, Gender Equity, Freedom of Association
Good Working Conditions
Capacity Building
Promote Fair Trade
Climate Action and Protection of the Environment
As mentioned above, we work mostly with women in marginalised communities, such as the shanty towns of Lima or a rural farming community in Tamil Nadu, India. We believe in long-term partnerships and have invested a lot of time and resources in training and capacity building.
Working co-collaboratively both with our customers and the artisan-makers/producer groups is also important to us so that all stakeholders are involved in the design process. Learning how to make beautiful things that people in other countries want to buy has a very positive effect on the self-esteem of the makers. Earning a fair wage has a positive impact on their economies and therefore their families and communities.
We try to be as collaborative as possible in the way we create new products. Every time we receive a new brief, we think about the skills of the people we work with and the materials, tools and techniques they have access to.
We also take the price points for the end customer into consideration. With the crocheted mouse, for example, I sat down with the crochet women when I was in Peru, and we chose the colours together. We put together a mood board of the kind of features we wanted the mouse to have and then each woman interpreted the brief in her own way.
At the end, we had a ‘group crit’, choosing the best interpretation and worked out if any tweaks were necessary before presenting the result to the buyer at the RBO. We much prefer working in this collaborative way, rather than just sending a pattern.
It was you who decided to work with us and we are absolutely honoured to do so! It was back in June 2018, during the big refurb, that we were first approached by Emma, who was a merchandising consultant and was striving to bring more sustainably and ethically sourced products into the shop.
We didn’t have to think twice before accepting her proposal and really enjoyed the process of thinking through suitable products. We had already ventured into the Cultural and Heritage Sector and loved the added challenge of creating bespoke products.
Honestly, it’s really exciting for the artisan makers who are busy creating products in Peru, India and Indonesia to know that what they are making is being sold in such beautiful places. When we show them photos of their products in your shop, you can see them almost bursting with pride!
We really love the collection we did for Cinderella, which comprises of both jewellery and crochet. It was fun to think of different elements of the story and design bespoke pieces to bring out those elements. It was a real honour when Ali and I were invited to the gala opening of Cinderella, the ballet, in 2022 - a very special evening. When the mice came on the stage, we both cried! That was the moment that inspired the crocheted mouse! So, if we had to pick one favourite product, that would be it. Designed and made by Blanca from the Hope Jewellery project in Peru, we are delighted that this little crocheted mouse is selling so well in the RBO gift shop.
You work with so many talented makers and artists, it’s really difficult to choose one. We always love seeing fellow BAFTS members represented in the shop as it demonstrates your commitment to fair trade and sustainability. But for sheer talent and utter brilliance, we would have to say Amanda Coleman. We love that she produces all her own work from a workshop in Lincoln and the originality and quality of her work is unrivalled.
