Namaste is proud to be a member of BAFTS, the British Association for Fair Trade Shops and Suppliers as a fair trade importer.
We
look to buy from small scale producers who use largely natural
materials and traditional techniques to produce interesting and
inherently beautiful articles.
We believe that the best way to
help disadvantaged producers is to work with them in partnership through
mutually beneficial and long term trade.
Our main aim is to
support marginalised small producers and ultimately help them move from
income insecurity to economic self-sufficiency.
The manufacture of goods for Namaste will generate income for local economies to help improve and enrich community life.
Some of our suppliers are members of the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) and some are members of their appropriate National Fair Trade Organisation.
Founded to shine a spotlight on the exploitation of suppliers in the developing world, Fairtrade Fortnight has been an annual event since 1997.
The
last Fairtrade Fortnight in 2021 highlighted serious climate challenges
faced by farmers and workers in Fairtrade.org producer communities. The
organisation says that workers are disproportionately affected. In
other words, those who have contributed the least to climate change,
suffer the most.
The focus in 2021 continues to be addressing this imbalance through campaigns and education on FAIRTRADE, CLIMATE AND YOU.
Visit their website to find out more about how you can get involved and the simple steps you can take to make a difference.
We encourage and if appropriate help our suppliers to seek formal fair trade recognition. In Thailand and Indonesia, we deal with many small scale artisan producers who do not wish or do not have the ability to become recognised Fair Trade producers. We believe very strongly that these are the sort of very small scale producers who really do need our help.
Additionally, we seek to minimise our impact on the
environment and all our products use azo-free dyes, ensuring a safer
working environment. Many of our products are also made entirely from
recycled materials, which are reused wherever possible. We also
encourage our suppliers to source raw materials locally and to use
recycled packaging on their products.
We have helped over 100 producers to grow and develop with us since we started trading in 1997 and we hope this number continues to grow as we continue to work with more suppliers in partnership through mutually beneficial and long term trade.
You'll
be familiar with the Fairtrade mark on produce like bananas, tea and
chocolate. Easy identification and a spectrum of over 6,000 products to
choose from, makes shopping ethically a viable option.
They’re
not all food and drink items either! Simple changes to buying habits in
areas like health and beauty are a doddle, with almost 150 products
available, from body cream to dental care.
By making better
choices when buying any item, we can all make a difference in so many
ways. That's why on 'Black Friday' we encourage people to abandon big
corporates and think about sustaining small Fair Trade communities
globally.
Namaste sensitively sources home and gift products under World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) principles and is part of the collective British Association for Fair Trade Shops and Suppliers (BAFTS). Click on 'Our Fair Trade Policy' to see the 10 Principles.
In
previous years, as illustrated Namaste has encouraged engagement with
the whole Fair Trade movement by implementing Fairtrade Fortnight to
raise funds for Child Rescue Nepal. Placing Fair Trade orders with
Namaste regularly ensures a steady flow of income for producer
communities including India and Nepal.
Also annually, World Fair Trade Day is celebrated on the second Saturday of May and is endorsed by the
World Fair Trade Organisation. On 9th May 2020 this date marked the
start of another fund-raising venture to 'Climb Everest'.
Climbed: 29029 feet over 224 miles by hill running in the Yorkshire Dales!
Owner, Sam Brummitt and young son,
Oliver climbed the height of Everest and ran off-road the distance from
Kathmandu to the summit to raise money for Child Rescue Nepal and the
fight against the Corona Virus. They raised over £3,000 to provide
desperately needed public hand washing stations.
In 2021, we took
part in WFTO's 'Build Back Fairer' campaign for World Fair Trade Day on
8th May. The shared aims are available to read in the link below and
relate to a better post-pandemic world.
We believe that joining forces as a Fair Trade Community makes us all stronger together.
We've always had immense support from our customer base in both retail and wholesale and remain committed to future campaigns. Not only by providing fairly paid work but by raising the profile of Fair Trade and producer communities to the wider marketplace. Follow our Social Media platforms for our latest campaign activities and thank you for your support!
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