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Supporting Shared Aims

Supporting Shared Aims

How we do it

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.

Fairtrade Fortnight

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.

Supporting Shared Aims

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.

Encouraging Better Buying Decisions

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.

Regular Campaigns

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!

Thank You

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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